


Percy Jackson Oneshots

by Jezzycat202



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-30
Updated: 2018-11-16
Packaged: 2018-11-21 15:20:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 72,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11360151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jezzycat202/pseuds/Jezzycat202
Summary: A collection of oneshots that I'll be doing of Percy Jackson characters of all types. I'm open for requests so go ahead and comment them! I can do oc x oc, canon x canon, canon x oc, canon x reader. I'm willing to do MxM, FxF, and FxM. Polyamorous ships are fine! Fluff/Angst only, no smut.*REQUESTS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED!*





	1. Catacombs of Love (Nico/Clovis)

"Agh, I told you entering the catacombs was a bad idea!"

Clovis's usually soft voice was hoarse with steadily increasing anxiety. The tapping of shoes on the dusty stone floor echoed eerily through the dark tunnels. A few dimly burning candles lit up the walls showcasing the ancient skulls and bones of people long dead. 

"What are you so scared of, you big baby? There isn't anything here that will hurt you. No monsters can get down here as far as I know and besides, the catacombs are always open on Halloween night. We are allowed to be down here, you know."

Clovis shivered, picking up the pace to match Nico as he inspected the ruins. His shaking hand bumped against the son of Hades' side and he fought the urge to call him out again. 

"The thing is, Nico DiAngelo, I'm a son of Hypnos. I don't get out much and when I do, I don't go to mass burial chambers on Halloween night! And, no, technically we're not allowed down here. It's past visitation hours. There's no one down here except for us. There's no tour guide to show us where to go. What if we get lost?!" 

"Ugh, you're giving me a headache. Listen, no one will care that we're down here past visitation hours because no one will ever find out. That means I expect you to keep your damn mouth shut once we get out of here. No blabbing to that Lou Ellen about how scared you were. I thought it'd be good for you to get out of the camp for a bit anyways." Nico kicked at a few rocks on the ground with his black boot. "We won't get lost either. I can just shadow-travel us out whenever I feel like it. I mean, I got us here, didn't I?"

Clovis huffed, crossing his arms and turning his head. His nose nearly touched a protruding skull and he squeaked, jumping back slightly and jostling Nico. The raven-haired male let out a low growl and shoved Clovis off of him.

"Quit being such a scaredy-cat!" 

Clovis shuddered again, looking down at his feet this time. 

"E-Easy for you to say! You're a child of Hades. You're probably used to seeing stuff like this!"

Nico scoffed, brushing his unkempt bangs out of his intense green eyes. 

"Once you've seen one skull, you've seen them all..."

The duo made their way through the twisting tunnels silently, but neither could deny that the lights were dimming. The flames spluttered pitifully, barely lighting anything in their paths and the floor lights were shut down for the night. 

"N-Nico?"

"Gods, didn't I just tell you that I have a headache?! I don't want to talk right now, alright Sleeping Beauty? I don't care if you're tired and want to go home. I don't care if you're cold. And I REALLY don't care if you have to use the bathroom. News flash, there is none. Now that I've gone over everything you could possibly want to say to me at the moment, could you kindly. Shut. Your. Mouth."

Clovis's mouth gaped for a second before he closed it once more and turned away, looking quite cowed. His face was a bit flushed and Nico thought he could see tears threatening to spill over. Nico sighed, feeling a bit guilty. The last thing he needed to do at the moment was make Clovis upset, especially since Nico had been the one to drag him into this in the first place.

Cautiously, Nico stretched his hand towards Clovis's that now hung loosely at his side. There was an awkward few seconds as Nico thought about how to go about this. He wasn't one to comfort someone, especially physically. 

His fingers bumped Clovis's arm and the blonde boy blinked in surprise, looking down for a second before playing hard to get and looking straight ahead. Nico rolled his eyes and tried again, his fingers finally finding Clovis's and intertwining together. At first, Clovis's hand was tense and he refused to return the gesture. Eventually though, Clovis dropped the immature act of defiance and curled his fingers through Nico's. 

It was such a strange thing. Nico had been unfazed just a second ago, but as Clovis's palm met his, he felt his face grow red with blush. Why was he embarrassed? There was nothing to be embarrassed about. He'd held hands with people before, but somehow, it felt different this time. Clovis's hand was soft, almost reminiscent to that of an infant's. It fit perfectly with Nico's own more firm hand.

Why am I thinking about Clovis's hand again? 

\------------------------------------

"Nico, I-I know you wanted me to keep my mouth shut, b-but it's been about an hour. Are you sure we're not lost?"

Nico swallowed his spit nervously, looking at the walls for reassurance. 

Didn't we just pass that femur fifteen minutes ago...?

"S-So what if we are? I told you that I can just shadow travel us out of here whenever I feel like it. Aren't you enjoying the sights? When do you ever get to see so much history in one place?"

Clovis stopped, taking his hand from Nico's, much to his dismay, and looked Nico dead in the eyes. Nico noticed that Clovis's eyes were ocean blue with gently swirling hues of teal. They weren't always this color; Clovis often pulled Nico out of his own dreams to join his own accidentally. He was a very powerful dreamer. In some dreams, his eyes appeared golden like honey and full of power. In others, they were a fluorescent violet color that glowed in the night. Others still were like two flecks of jade. Nico decided that the natural blue ones were his favorite.

"-Nico...Nico! Are you even listening to me?"

Nico blinked, trying to refocus himself. Clovis looked distraught.

"I'm sorry, c-could you repeat whatever it was you just said? I...got distracted."

"Ugh, you really are ridiculous!" Clovis exclaimed, throwing his head back with frustration. He paused for a second, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. His muscles relaxed slightly and he met Nico's gaze once more.

In a low, tired voice, Clovis spoke once again.

"I said, I want to go home now..."

Nico sighed, rubbing his hands together absent-mindedly. He motioned for Clovis to take a step closer and placed his hands on his shoulders as he backed up into a shadowy corner. Clovis followed, closing his eyes forcefully as he prepared for the wild feeling of shadow travel.

Nick squinted in confusion, straining himself strenuously before nearly buckling over on himself. Sweat trickled down his forehead as he tried again, his grip tightening on Clovis's shoulders. The blonde winced, but stayed put. One of his pretty eyes opened questioningly as he looked at Nico who strained more than ever.

"Nico...? Why isn't this working...?"

Nico removed one hand and wiped the sweat away from his temple, trying one last time to no avail. He let out a puff of breath, panting from the stress. 

"I-I *huff huff* d-don't know... It worked earlier when I brought us here..."

Instead of looking furious like Nico expected, Clovis reached forward, brushing his hand against Nico's forehead. He examined Nico's face as his hand brushed down his cheeks, and across his neck. 

"Mm, it could be that you're still a bit tired from your last jump. Do you feel alright?"

Nico nodded, secretly enjoying the Hypnos counselor's gentle caresses. 

"I'm feeling fine. I've been practicing keeping my energy up with Will a lot recently and taking long journeys like these shouldn't affect me much anymore. I mean, like I said, I feel fine. I don't know how to explain it. It's almost as if... I'm blocked from accessing the shadow routes..."

Clovis's brow furrowed in thought.

"Do you think this place has magical properties that block you off from your powers? I mean, it's a fat chance, but it is possible..."

Nico shrugged, cracking his neck self-consciously. 

"Maybe I am tired. I can't tell really."

Clovis's eyes blinked slowly and almost methodically and Nico suddenly felt a thousand pounds of drowsiness drop onto his shoulders. He swayed unsteadily before catching himself on the wall. Clovis walked over with that almost hypnotizing stride and Nico's eyes began to close.

Clovis shuffled out of his beige-colored wool sweater and handed it to Nico kindly, ushering to the floor. Nico complied, dropping onto his knees and placing the sweater beneath his head as he laid down. 

"Just rest for a bit. We can try again later. I'll keep watch."

Nico yawned loudly, cuddling into the sweater.

"Are you sure...?"

"Positive. I'll be fine. Now sleep."

And with that, Nico's eyes shut and he drifted off into a dreamless slumber.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

"Nico! Wake up, Nico!" 

Nico jumped into a sitting position immediately at the sound of Clovis's worried voice near his ear. He nearly hit Clovis in the chin as the boy leaned over him, shaking his sides gently. 

"Clovis, what's going on? Why are all the lights off?"

The entire catacombs were dark. The candles, floor lights, everything. Nico couldn't see anything in the pitch blackness of the halls. He could barely make out his own hands when held in front of his face.

"I-I don't know! I was just sitting here and all the candles went out. I can't see anything! I'm freaking out, man! I wanna go home!" 

"Calm down, Clovis. It's just a little darkness. You should see Camp Jupiter at night. Here, I'll try shadow travelling again."

Clovis gulped and nodded, grabbing onto Nico's hands shakily. 

Once, twice, three times the raven-haired male tried but try as he might, the shadows seemed to be blocking him. He was swathed in the gloomy blackness, yet he just couldn't get through.

"It's no use, Clovis. It's not working." Nico groaned, slumping against the wall behind him and nearly getting skewered by an off-center rib bone. "This is all my fault. I was the one who convinced you to come even though I knew you'd rather be sleeping. I was the one who brought us here AND I was the one who got us stuck. Now we're going to have to wait until the next tours which are tomorrow... Gods fucking damnit!"

"Shh, Nico. It's fine. This isn't your fault. I agreed to come here on my own terms. You didn't convince me. That was all my own problem. A-And, I'm sure staying here the rest of the night won't be that bad. I was just a little spooked by the dark, but it's really not so bad once your eyes adjust to it." Clovis giggled softly. "Besides, once you've seen one skull, you've seen them all..."

Nico cracked a faint smile, but he was certain Clovis couldn't make it out in the night. It was pointless really, but Clovis had made him feel a bit better. He was always so soothing...

"I don't feel like spending Halloween in some weird religious place. How about we keep looking for an exit?" 

"I'd be all for that if I could actually see more than just faint outlines of things. I suppose there would be a little of light coming from an exit if we found it. Ah, Tartarus, what could it hurt?" 

Hands still intertwined, the two spread out a bit, feeling the walls with their free hands. A light switch stealthily installed somewhere, a lever, a button, anything. Clovis shuddered as his hand passed through the jaw of a skull, but he kept his hand extended. 

Suddenly Nico stiffened. A cool breeze drifted across his neck and the exposed skin broke into goose-bumps. Clovis halted as well, turning to look at Nico. The son of Hades hesitated, barely daring to breathe as he listened. He could feel a presence somewhere in these very catacombs.

"Nic-MMF!"

Nico's hand ripped away from Clovis's and he pulled him into a tight hold, his other hand across the blonde boy's mouth. Holding Clovis into his chest, he bent his neck slightly and whispered into his ear.

"Sh, I think there's someone here...and they know we're here too..."

Clovis swallowed his spit and stopped struggling, his cheek pressing into Nico's chest for reassurance. Nico brushed his hand across Clovis's back, trying not to make too much noise as he felt for the person's aura. 

The sound of long, drawn out breathing echoed through the tunnels and Nico froze. Clovis let out a muffled squeak, but quickly silenced himself, burrowing even closer to Nico. There was the sound of someone shaking something, tapping it against the wall across the hall before there was a crackle and a flashlight's bulb brightened an area far down the hall. 

The duo froze as the person holding it began moving in a slow shambling walk. The light wasn't on them, but the person was walking in their general direction.

"Hé, y a-t-il quelqu'un ici? "

The beholder had a gruff voice, and he spoke heavy French. Most likely, he knew no English. The flashlight began sweeping across the tunnel and Nico nudged Clovis forward carefully, each step light as a feather. There was an opening to another tunnel ahead where the darkness grew more intense and Nico ushered the smaller counselor towards it. Once there, Clovis began to mumble into Nico's hand quietly.

"Shut up, will you?!" Nico whispered irritably. 

Clovis fought against his controlling hand more insistently.

"Mm mmmmmm mm mmmmmmm!"

Nico sighed silently and removed his hand, placing his index finger in front of his mouth as if to say 'if you really have to talk, make it quiet'. 

Clovis's blue eyes looked at Nico fearfully as he spoke.

"We forgot my sweater in there! He'll find it and know we're here!"

As if on cue, there was shuffling and the sound of fabric brushing against the ground. 

"Qui est-ce? Sortez et montrez-vous!" 

"Run." Nico commanded.

The duo broke out into a sprint, their shoes making dull thumping sounds on the floor. They could no longer see or feel where they were going, but they could hear the man far behind them, in pursuit.

"Hey! Arrête toi là! Je vais appeler la police!"

"Ah, he said he was going to call the cops!" Clovis cried, struggling to keep up with the fast Nico DiAngelo.

"We won't have to worry about it if we aren't caught, now come on!"

A loud yelp escaped Clovis's mouth as he tripped over a loose rock on the floor and tumbled to the floor, landing heavily on his legs. There was a popping noise and Clovis let out a strangled bark of pain. The flashlight's shining light faintly illuminated Clovis's form sprawled out on the stone floor. His ankle was twisted in an awkward position under himself. 

"We are so dead!" Clovis cried, tears flooding down his cheeks. He struggled wildly to right himself, but try as he might, his foot would not function. His face was beginning to pale.

"No, no, no, no! Don't you dare fai-"

It was too late. Clovis fell forward limply and Nico caught him just before he crashed to the floor. A mustached guard ran at him from down the hall, rapidly approaching. Nico cursed under his breath, hoisting Clovis into his arms bridal style and making a break for the next underpass. Clovis was heavy, but not terribly so. Nico had hefted worse. He wove through tunnel after tunnel. 

"Clovis! Clovis, wake up!" 

Nico urged Clovis to blink open his eyes, twitch his nose, or anything that might show some returning consciousness as he ran half-blind through the catacombs. Clovis's lips were parted slightly as he breathed deeply, almost asleep in a way. His blonde hair flounced in the breeze as Nico raced across the passageways. 

Nico stopped slowly as the sounds of French curses and the light of the flashlight shot past the hallways he was residing in. The man was still running the wrong way. Nico took this time to collect his breath and lean against a wall, still holding Clovis in his arms.

One minute passed.

Five.

Ten.

Nico was beginning to worry now. Clovis had been out awhile for only passing out and his ankle looked pretty swollen. Experimentally, Nico prodded it. It jutted out at a horrible angle and just looking at it made Nico sick. 

His eyes darted back to Clovis's face as a couple gibberish-like words mumbled out of his open lips. His eyes shuddered beneath their lids and finally, in an almost reluctant way, they blinked open. 

His pupils widened and narrowed strangely as he adjusted to the darkness, looking up at Nico with confusion.

"N-Nico...? Where am I? Why is it so dark? Oh, man. I had a weird dream that we were in the catacombs of Paris and we got locked in and we almost got caught and-" He broke off as he looked around in the darkness. "Oh... It wasn't a dream was it...?"

Nico shook his head, adjusting his hold on Clovis who squeaked shyly, his face red in the darkness.

"Y-You didn't seriously carry me here, did you?"

"Had to. You hurt your ankle and passed out. The guard was nearly on top of us. We had to get going whether you were awake or not."

"Oh gods, I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be. Besides, I think we're almost on the right track to get out of this Hades-hole. Let's keep moving."

Clovis bit his lip slightly as he tried to move his ankle. A wave of fresh pain flooded over him, but he stayed conscious. 

"I-I can't walk... N-Nico...?"

"Don't worry about it..." 

\-----------------------------------------

"It feels like we've been walking forever. How long do these things go on for?" Nico quipped, his now darkness-sharp eyes picking out every little detail in the wall...and in his arms. 

Clovis's bright cerulean eyes blinked up at him in an almost transfixed way. He'd never broken his gaze this entire trip and his mouth had stayed shut. His blonde locks were sweat-plastered, but they still kept their child-like curly flair. His pert cheeks and pink lips were still the same as Nico remembered them in the light; perfect. 

As time went on, Clovis felt less and less like dead weight and more and more like he belonged in Nico's arms. Though average (maybe slightly less) in stature, his body was a bit chubby to be frank though Nico liked it better that way. He couldn't stand the gaunt scrawny frames of the Aphrodite kids at home who starved themselves every meal. Besides, Clovis had more curves than any of those silly love-struck kids would ever have.

Did I seriously just think about Clovis's 'curves'?

Nico felt a burning sensation on his face and he turned to look at the walls on his right again to make sure Clovis couldn't see the rose coloration. 

There was silence for an impossibly long time and Nico could no longer bear it. He knew Clovis was still looking up at him from the position in his arms. He could feel his intense gaze. He was used being stared at for many reasons, but it had never felt this...weird before.

"Are you listening to me? Why are you staring at me anyways?"

It was Clovis's turn to look away this time, his face just as flushed. 

"I'm listening, I just...I feel weird..."

"Don't tell me you're going to pass out again. Or worse, throw up. I don't appreciate unusual flying projectiles on my clothes."

"N-No, not sick! I-I mean... I guess I don't know what I mean. I just feel...safe, I guess. I f-feel like you'd never let anything happen to me in here. Like you'd protect me if it came down to it. Maybe it's just because you're carrying me..."

Nico stumbled over his own feet a bit before quickly righting himself and clearing his throat.

"Well, I mean, I have to get you home somehow... I got you into this mess despite whatever you say. You shouldn't be so nice about it."

"Nico, I wanted to come with you. You didn't make me. I love hanging out with you and I love- Oh my gods, is that an exit?!"

Nico shook his head to clear his thoughts. Ahead of them was the night sky, peering at them from a doorway. Nico broke into a sprint and darted out of the catacombs, sighing with relief as the night's breeze enveloped the two of them. 

"We made it!" Clovis exclaimed happily, clinging to Nico's shoulders. His face cuddled against the black leather jacket that donned the raven-haired boy. 

"We did, didn't we...?"

Nico smiled widely and spun Clovis in a circle, watching the stars swirl above them. Clovis laughed and squealed with joy as he held onto Nico for dear life. His laughter died into small giggles as Nico stopped, laughing a bit on his own.

He felt shivers coming from the Hypnos camper and remembered faintly about the lost sweater, tossing Clovis up a bit to readjust his position and wrap his leather jacket around the both of them, tying Clovis tightly to Nico's chest. The blonde boy didn't complain, snuggling into the warmth welcomingly. 

"You know, I've never seen you smile so much before. That's weird, Clovis. We almost got arrested." Nico scolded mockingly. 

Clovis snorted, looking up at Nico yet again, a different emotion in his gaze.

"I could say the same to you. Thanks for getting me into this mess, even if you do suck at shadow travelling. I'll tell you, this was one heck of a first date. You sure have a way with boys~"

Nico stomped his foot indignantly. 

"I don't suck at-wait, did you say d-date-"

Nico broke off as Clovis closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Nico's. Nico kissed back, as the blonde in his arms melted into the kiss. Nico could sense the relief coming from him as he realized that Clovis had wanted this as much if not more than he had.

The two broke apart to breathe, looking at each other fondly with cheesy looks on their faces before Nico bent down and placed another quick kiss on Clovis's lips.

The loud noise of flapping wings sounded overhead and Nico looked up to see Reyna upon a Pegasus with a chariot attached. 

"Hey you two lovebirds! Were you trying to fly west for winter? Come on!"

Nico nuzzled Clovis's cheek warmly as Reyna came to a halt on the ground near the duo. Carefully, he hoisted Clovis onto his lap inside the chariot where the blonde promptly fell asleep, snoring softly.

"Happy Halloween, sleeping beauty..."


	2. Rebecca Robinson x Percy Jackson 'Love on Fire'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Rebecca Robinson is claimed as the first ever demigoddess of Hestia, the camp is not too impressed. She is bullied relentlessly until a certain someone puts an end to it... And a start to something more. 
> 
> (This story was a request by AwesomePossum101 on Quotev. Rebecca is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!)

"And here we are; Camp Half-Blood," A none-too-happy satyr with shaggy black hair mumbled flatly, blowing a puff of air at his low hanging bangs. He paused for a moment to let his rescued demigod companion take in the view before turning to face her. 

The demigod was a girl, a pretty one at that. She had long blue hair that was the color of ice and matching eyes that were framed by black glasses. White streaks cut through her hair like tiny frozen rivers. Her eyes scanned the camp from her perch on top of the hill and she wrung her hands nervously as if she'd never seen anything so intimidating before. She chewed on her bottom lip anxiously. 

The satyr cocked an eyebrow, shifting his weight from hoof to hoof.

"Hey, uh, kid..." 

The girl did not respond, still gazing out on the land stretched before her. Her cloven guide did not take kindly to being ignored and cleared his throat harshly, gaining her attention with a jump.

"O-oh, sorry, Draven! I got..." 

"Mystified. Bamboozled. Amazed." The satyr, Draven suggested. 

His companion looked down at her sneaker-clad feet despondently. 

"Distracted..." 

Draven huffed, blowing yet another gust of air at his pesky bangs. When that failed to put them back in place, he took his hand and ran it across his hair, smoothing it all back and sending a tired look at the demigoddess beside him. 

"Well, whatever you are, we have to get you to camp soon. I don't feel like fighting some dumb hellhound or scorpion tonight. Besides, the fire is going to be starting soon and if there were ever a time for you to get claimed, it would be then." He took a step forward and ushered for the demigoddess to do the same. She stayed stock still, still staring at her shoes as if they were the most interesting things in the world. Draven rolled his eyes. "Listen, kid, I have to get to camp today. You want me to hold your hand or carry you or something? 

The half-blood's eyes snapped shut and she shook her head as if she'd been in a trance of some sort. She took a nervous hop-step forward and sidled up near Draven.

"N-no, I'm fine. Just nervous is all," She replied, her voice soft like a feather. She sent Draven a tiny side smile. "Besides, I don't want the entire camp's first impression of me to be that I can't even walk by myself." 

Draven snorted, but nodded and led the way down the hill nonetheless. 

As the two travelling companions strode down the hill and onto flat land, the demigoddess noticed a bit of a rippling shimmer above her head. As she walked on, she noticed it seemed to span from one side of the camp to the other. She cocked her head with thought. 

A barrier, huh? That's smart. It must be why there are no monster attacks here. Or rarely any anyways, the girl thought to herself. 

Draven's hooves made a soft pattering sound on the ground as he kept up his pace, head held high, but his shoulders slumped. It was as if he wanted to appear confident and a slacker at the same time. He continued to walk and as the duo made it further into the camp, they were greeted by boy with wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes. He waved to them in a friendly fashion and the demigoddess felt the anxiety weighing her shoulders down lighten. 

The surfer-esque boy flashed her a glimmering smile before turning to Draven with an equally as pleased expression. Draven's face, on the other hand, remained stoic and monotone. The demigoddess wondered if he had any emotions other than bored, grumpy, and tired. The probabilities were slim. 

"Hey, Drave! I see you brought someone to camp today, huh?" The blonde turned to the other half-blood and casted her a warm grin. "Hello! I'm Will Solace, son of Apollo, and you are?" 

The demigoddess instantly began to feel shy again, taking a step back and wringing her hands once more. 

"Ah, hi, Will. Nice to meet you. I'm Rebecca Robinson... Daughter of... Ah... I'm not sure yet..." She dipped her head mournfully.

Her entire life had always been one big guessing game and she just wished for once that something could be clear. Like who her godly parent was and why they'd hidden their identity from her for so long. 

Will frowned, looking a bit confused and frustrated. He walked around Rebecca like a doctor inspecting a sick patient. He brought his hand to his chin and thought to himself for a moment before shaking his head. 

"That's odd. Gods and goddesses alike are supposed to claim their children by the time they turn thirteen. You look to be older than that. Are you?"

Rebecca felt blush rising to her cheeks, but she hoped Will was too deep in thought to notice it. She felt like a show dog being inspected by a judge. 

"I'm sixteen..." 

Will's brow furrowed further and even more frustration crossed into his blue eyes. He blinked and spoke again. 

"Sixteen, huh? Yeah, you definitely should have been claimed by now. I mean, there have been cases in the past, but that was because of a prophecy and-" Will broke off and shook his head again, sighing deeply. "I'm sure you'll be claimed soon. Don't worry about it," Will turned to look at the satyr guide at Rebecca's side who was frowning and picking at his nails. "Draven, would you like to come join us by the campfire tonight and actually socialize for once?" 

Draven groaned dramatically, crossing his arms with a pout.

"Do I have to? I mean, I did my job. I got her here in one piece. It's not my fault she has a dead beat parent."

"Draven." 

Draven sent a pained look in the direction of a small glade where a handsome pale green-skinned boy was sitting on a stump. The boy sent him a joyful smile at the sight of him, but then waved him off in the direction of the fire as if it say, 'It's fine. You can go.' 

"I was sort of looking forward to spending some time with Sage... It's been a long day..." 

Will shrugged as if this meant nothing to him. 

"All the more reason to come wind down by the fire for a bit. I'm sure you could ask Sage to come with if you really wanted to."

Draven frowned deeply at this. 

"Dryads and fire don't exactly mix, you know..." 

Will nodded begrudgingly and finally threw up his arms in defeat. 

"Fine. If you honestly don't even care about the godly parent of someone that you brought here yourself, you can go hang out with Sage." 

Draven's eyes brightened and he sent Rebecca a pleading look. 

"I can go, right kid? I mean, Rebecca. You can always fill me in on everything later, right?" 

Rebecca desperately wanted to say no and make the one person who actually knew her stay with her until she had everything all figured out, but the look in his eyes was intensely hopeful. 

Draven really wants to stay with this 'Sage' character. I guess I shouldn't force him to stay with me just because I'm scared. Time to man up, Rebecca thought to herself. 

"Sure, Draven. Go ahead. I'll see you later." 

Rebecca watched with surprise as his brown eyes sparkled and a genuine smile curled up his lips. He let out a happy bleat and began to race to Sage without another word. 

"Thanks, kid!" 

And with that, the satyr bounded over to the dryad boy and took a seat at hi feet. His goat tail flicked back and forth happily as he began to recount his day to Sage. Sage smiled and nodded the whole time, his eyes full of fondness for the satyr at his feet. 

Rebecca sighed. 

She'd never had a relationship (much less friendship) like Sage and Draven appeared to have. It was sort of hard to look at because it made her want someone she could tell her day to. It made her want someone that would look at her like Sage looked at Draven. 

"Well, whatever, we'll have a good time without him. Come on, Rebecca. Let's get you to the campfire so we can meet some potential friends... Or siblings in your case!" Will began to trot towards the fire, prompting Rebecca to follow him. She blinked before sprinting over to him and following the leader once again to a huge amphitheater. 

There were kids everywhere. 

All throughout the bleachers, down near the fire pit itself, and flocking in from the outside, it was almost entirely overwhelming. There was anywhere from fist fights to make-out sessions going on all over the stands and there seemed to be almost no room for her to sit anywhere safely. 

A few more friendly looking satyrs were strumming some ukuleles and harps whilst some demigods played more loud instruments such as saxophones and clarinets. 

All in all, it was chaos and Rebecca was not accustomed to it at all. 

"Welcome to the campfire, Rebecca!" Will shouted over the infernal noise of the crowd. His eyes glowed in the firelight and twinkled with pride as if everyone in the camp were his children and he was their proud father. Rebecca felt a little better with how comfortable Will looked, but she was still on edge, jumping and squeaking with every bang and crash from the stands. 

Will noticed the nervousness of her demeanor and offered her a hand and a sympathetic look. 

"Hey, the first day is always the scariest. I promise not everyone is crazy here. If you want, you can sit by me, my siblings, and my boyfriend for the time being. Just until we know where to sit you anyways. Besides, to tell you the truth, Chiron isn't as strict with the seating arrangements as of lately. He probably won't mind." 

"Mm," Rebecca nodded, feeling that much more scrutinized. 

Nonetheless, she followed Will over to a section in the bleachers where a sunny yellow banner was draped. There were two girls already sitting there and they waved to Will as he approached. One of them had short blonde hair and intense golden eyes while the other had dyed green hair and freckles galore. They looked to be decent enough people. Rebecca could only hope they were as amiable as their brother. 

As Rebecca took a seat next to Will, she nearly jumped out of her skin with fear. A boy with jet black hair and matching clothes seemingly appeared out of the shadows on Will's other side. He cuddled close to Will and sent him a tentative smile like he wasn't used to doing that.

"Hey, Sunshine." 

"Greetings, Death Boy." Will replied, ruffling the shorter boy's dark hair. "I've brought company." 

At this, 'Death Boy' tensed and straightened himself up. He seemed to have not noticed Rebecca and his brown eyes narrowed with distrust. Rebecca swallowed her spit as her crystal blue eyes locked onto his intense gaze. This boy had a dark and mysterious aura to him and it made her feel cold and unsafe. She shivered slightly and gave Will a plaintive look. 

"Nico, this is Rebecca. Rebecca, this is my boyfriend, Nico." Will leaned towards Nico's ear and the boy tensed again, sending Rebecca a worried look. "She's unclaimed as of now. Are you getting any underwordly vibes from her? Hypnos maybe?" 

Nico's eyes narrowed further and he stared at Rebecca. The demigoddess shifted in the uncomfortable silence and gulped again. She hated this routine of inspecting new people here at camp and wondered if everyone she'd ever say hi to would be this weird. Still, she sat still politely and kept her mouth shut until Nico pulled away and shook his head at Will. 

"Well, she's definitely not a child of Hades, and she doesn't radiate the same lulling aura that Clovis and his siblings do so I'm going to say... Possibly Hecate." He gave Rebecca's light blue hair a look and she felt that much more self conscious. 

Was blue hair forbidden in this camp? 

"Possibly though. I'm not one hundred percent sure. She has an... Odd feel to her." He winced at his choice of words and gave Rebecca a slightly sorry look. "Sorry. I mean, I've just never felt this kind power before. It sort of reminds me of... Fire." 

Rebecca blinked with alarm, racking her brain for a god or goddess of flames and fire. She could only hope it wasn't some scary and angry deity who loved to scorch mortals in their free time. 

Will and Nico exchanged a look and Will turned his head to take another look at Rebecca. 

"You don't think... Leo...?"

Nico shook his head.

"No, not Hephaestus. I don't know how, but I'm sure that she's not his. This power is... Different."

Will frowned and looked thoughtful. 

"But... Fire... Hephaestus is the only god who has pyrokinesis roots, right? Who else could it be?" 

Nico shrugged, thinking equally as hard as his boyfriend. 

"I mean, my Mythomagic cards say that Hecate and Nemesis have fire powers too, but that sort of tells you how accurate they are." 

As the two debated with each other quietly, they soon forgot that the subject of their argument was sitting right beside them. Rebecca wanted desperately to curl up into a ball and sleep for a solid week. She hated being new and she simply wanted to go home and forget this had ever happened. 

A gentle poke on her shoulder brought her back to reality and she turned to see the green-haired girl sitting behind her. She had a sympathetic look on her features and she extended a hand to Rebecca. 

"Hey, I'm Kayla. You're Rebecca right? It must suck to now know your parent."

Rebecca hesitantly took Kayla's hand and shook it.

"Hello. Yeah, I'm Rebecca and yeah, it truly does suck." She let her eyes trail to look at the flames ahead of her and she found herself feeling warm and a bit more safe as she watched them flicker. It was as if the warmth could reach her, even here. "I just wish someone would come forward and take responsibility for me. I don't like this suspense." 

Kayla nodded. 

"Yeah, I get that. You just gotta keep your head up though, you know? You'll be claimed soon enough and then you'll be able to meet your siblings, make friends easier, and have a cabin all to your own. It'll be great, trust me."

Rebecca found herself smiling dreamily as the flames lapped at the charred logs inside of the pit. She watched the colors swirling in the fire; the orange, the red, the yellow, and the white. Just watching the colors dance together made her feel confident and... Powerful.

Suddenly, there was a popping noise and a flash of light. Rebecca jumped back, falling onto her rear between the seats. Her blue eyes widened and blinked as her chest heaved for breath. 

In front of her face was a glowing symbol, a golden flame. 

The crowd went silent. There was no more arguing, singing, shouting, or chattering. Even the birds above had gone quiet. The only noise was the sound of the flames crackling in the fire pit and Rebecca heaving for breath.

Kayla was the first to break the silence, leaning forward and looking at the symbol with great interest. 

"I've never seen that one before."

Instantly the camp erupted with hushed whispers and accusations. Bets were being placed in the back and Rebecca wished the flame would melt her into a puddle. She'd rather be anywhere but here where all the eyes were on her. 

There was a bang and Rebecca's eyes shot over to the fire pit where a large centaur was standing with a hoof raised. He gave the fading symbol a look before taking a step back and running his fingers through his thinning hair. 

"I can't believe... I thought she would never..." He took a deep breath and cut off, raising his hands and turning to the crowd. "Please welcome the first ever daughter of... Hestia."

A unanimous gasp rang out through the stands and cries of outrage erupted from the stands.

"That can't be true! Hestia is a maiden goddess! She'd never have a child, much less someone like her!" Called out a rough and tumble girl from beneath a boar's head banner.

"Not to be rude, but she's right. Are you sure one of the gods didn't just get a symbol update or wanted a change? I mean, the claiming symbols are kind of like emojis, right?" Asked a girl with shockingly red hair who stood under a pale pink dove banner. 

"Wrong. Gods and goddesses can't just change their symbols. They came to be through years of worshiping," A boy with brown hair announced from underneath a gray owl banner.

Rebecca held her ears, her head ringing with all of the chaos around her. Through the clatter though, Rebecca heard the clacking of high heels coming her way. She looked up with wide eyes to see an ebony haired girl staring down at her disdainfully.

A hush fell over the camp as they watched with interest. 

Authority radiated from the girl in front of Rebecca and she suddenly felt as if she wasn't meant to be here at all. She gulped and looked down again. 

The girl snorted, flipping her hair over her shoulder. 

"Gods, are you guys ever dense. There's nothing special about her. She's clearly just a fake or something. Maybe there was a mix-up. There's one thing for certain though; Hestia is not her mom." She scoffed before letting out a nasally laugh. "You'd fit in more with those head-in-the-clouds Hypnos kids over there, sweetheart. I'm sure having someone who actually knows how to take care of themselves in that cabin would be a good influence." 

Rebecca winced as she watched a previously thought to be sleeping blonde boy rise from the bleachers underneath a purple and red poppy banner. 

"And what's so bad about being a Hypnos kid?" He called out, giving the black-haired girl a long suffering look. "At least we're not all high and mighty like you, Drew."

Drew threw up her hands in defense.

"Hey, I'm not the one claiming to be the daughter of a maiden goddess over here." 

Rebecca stood up and took a deep breath and tried to look as non-threatening as possible to Drew.

"I swear I never said it was true. I just-"

"Oh, hush up, Flame Princess. You can't even tell me you're not just soaking up all this attention right now. I'll bet this is the most exciting thing to have ever happened in your dull life." 

"I-"

"Go start a forest fire or something." 

"Enough!" Chiron shouted, but it was too late. Drew had already succeeded in getting the camp riled up. 

"Mind toasting my marshmallow for me?"

"How's it feel to get burned?"

"She's not even hot enough to be a fire demigoddess." 

"Would all of you shut up?!" 

The last command came from a boy with black hair and sea green eyes who stood up from where he sat near the fire. His eyes were stormy and he looked anything but pleased with the bullying. He walked over to Rebecca and stood in front of her protectively, giving the crowd a glare. 

The demigods shut up immediately as if this strange boy somehow had them under his control. They looked at him with wide eyes and stifled breaths. 

"Grow up, would you? Before just a couple of years ago, it was unheard of to be a child of Hebe or Tyche too. Things change and you all should know that better than anyone else. You especially Drew." The boy growled, glaring at Drew with those sea green eyes. Drew's mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. "You haven't even met this girl yet. Don't you all remember your first days here? You were terrified and lonely. Does it make you feel good to make her feel like a mistake?" 

More than half of the crowd had the decency to look guilty, but some of the demigods in the stands still frowned and turned up their noses. 

"Besides, there's a first time for everything, right?" The boy turned to look at Rebecca, his gaze softening and a smile trailing across his lips. "I'm Percy. It's nice to meet you." 

Rebecca stood stock still. His voice was soft and warm and made her feel like she'd been wrapped up in a fuzzy blanket. She fought the urge to lean into him and instead sent him a weak smile back.

"I'm Rebecca. It's... Nice to meet you too..." She lowered her voice and spoke in what was almost an inaudible whisper. "Thank you..."

Percy's smile broadened and he extended a hand, leading her away from Drew and towards where he had been sitting to begin with. 

"You can sit by me, Rebecca. It's okay. No one is going to say anything else." He sent a stern look out to the crowd. "Now why don't you just sit back and enjoy the campfire. We haven't even started to sing yet."

The satyrs took this as their cue and began to play their instruments more clear and concise. Eventually, as the first few strands of a camp classic were strummed, the tension in the air began to lift and the anxiety filled, purple flame in the fire pit, turned orange once again. 

Rebecca managed to draw her gaze away from Percy for a moment and looked into the dancing flames. She had no idea if her mom was truly in there, but despite her worries, she prayed under her breath.

Thank you, Hestia...

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

Rebecca stretched luxuriously, feeling her sore muscles stretch and loosen in the sunlight. 

It had been a few months since she'd first arrived at Camp Half-Blood and been claimed by Hestia, and now she could safely say that she felt like she belonged here. After a few weeks of staying at the Hermes and Hypnos cabins, the camp architect, Annabeth Chase had designed and built her a small cabin next to the Hecate cabin. Her cabin was nothing impressive (it was cream colored with pretty, sparkling flames painted all around the outside walls), but Rebecca almost liked it that way. 

Less and less people were giving her looks of disapproval and were instead inviting her to hang out with them at training sessions or to sit by them at lunch and supper. She had a few close friends now and she enjoyed their company and loyalty greatly. 

She'd first made friends with Cecil Markowitz from the Hermes cabin after staying there in the sea of children that called that cabin their home. He was one of the more calm Hermes children, but he was still quite mischievous. Rebecca had only started talking to him after she'd caught him attempting to pick pocket her. He'd apologized and gave her a tour of the camp as an apology. After looking past the initial distrust she held for him, she realized he was actually a nice (and fun) friend to have. 

After hanging out with him for a few days, he'd introduced her to his best friend, Lou Ellen Blackstone. Lou Ellen was a lot more on the crazy side when compared to Cecil. She was always looking for mischief to make and jokes to be made. There was never a dull moment with her around and Rebecca sort of enjoyed not knowing what the Hecate counselor would spontaneously do next. 

Rebecca had also gotten to know Draven a lot better. He was much nicer than he liked to come off as and was actually very caring about a lot of people, including his boyfriend, Sage. 

Sage was a very kind individual. He was always making flower crowns and dandelion necklaces for the younger occupants at Camp Half Blood and was occasionally known to host strawberry picking expeditions. He and Draven were almost inseparable, but on the occasions where Rebecca ran into them, they made sure to make her feel included.

And last but not least, there was Percy Jackson. Percy was revered as a camp hero. He had gone on many a quest, saved the camp more times than even he could count, and witnessed horrors that people may have night terrors about. And yet, he was one of the most happy and upbeat people Rebecca had ever met. He was goofy, a jokester and often tried to make Rebecca laugh and smile when she was feeling down. He'd helped her get situated in her schedule, prepared her for cabin inspection, and made her feel welcome in camp. Whenever anyone said anything remotely bad about Rebecca or her mother, Percy was always seemingly there, ready to put up a fight for his new friend. 

Rebecca hated to pick favorites, but she was definitely always looking to spend more time with Percy whenever she could. He just seemed to radiate this happy aura that always made her feel ten times better. He made her feel like she was a human being worthy of affection and friends.

He made her feel normal. 

"Hey there, Rebs!" 

Rebecca blinked open her eyes languidly like a cat in the sunshine. She turned on her heel to spot Draven and Sage walking towards her, hand in hand. Draven had a crown of wildflowers atop his horns and Rebecca could tell that they had been in the woods outside the border. 

Rebecca flashed her friends a warm smile, waving at them happily. 

"Hey guys! What's up?" 

Draven shrugged, flipping his bangs out of his face and letting out a habitual bleat. "Nothing much. Just saw you and wanted to say is all." 

Sage tilted his head and his golden curls whisked across his face gently. "What have you been up to today, Becca? Anything interesting?"

Rebecca shrugged in response, almost mimicking Draven perfectly. 

"Not really, I suppose. Pollux and I were doing some sword fighting practice, but I started to get a little sore and took a break. I think Mitchell is training with Pollux now. I'm just sort of enjoying the sunshine for now." 

Sage nodded agreeably. 

"Isn't it lovely out here today? I mean, the weather is always usually nice, but today especially. Maybe it's a good omen that something great's gonna happen!" 

Draven rolled his eyes fondly, slugging Draven playfully. "You say that every day, Sage." 

Sage slugged Draven back, a little harder. 

"Hey, I met you on one of these days, so I'd hush up." 

Rebecca giggled. 

"Okay, lovebirds. Tone it down a notch." 

Sage and Draven laughed and gave Rebecca a pair of matching grins. Sage opened his mouth to say something more, but stopped, looking past Rebecca. A smirk curled up his face and crossed his arms. 

Draven gave Sage a questioning look and stood on the tips of his hooves to see over Rebecca shoulder. His eyes landed on something, or someone, and he too gave her a Cheshire Cat-like smile.

"I'm almost scared to ask you two dorks what's behind me."

"I am." 

Percy's deep voice sounded right beside Rebecca's ear and she nearly jumped out of her shoes. She felt her face heat up as she turned to face her friend, face ablaze with blush. 

"Jeez, Perc, you scared the living Hades out of me! You can just say 'hi' instead of trying to stop my heart from beating, you know?"

"Hi." Percy responded coyly.

Rebecca rolled her blue eyes, placing her hands on her hips.

"Very funny, Merman. Anyways, what did you need?" 

Percy seemed to notice Sage and Draven for the first time and looked a bit sheepish, scratching the back of his head with an awkward smile. 

"Oh, oops. Sorry about interrupting you guys. I can wait until later if you want." 

Before Rebecca could say anything, Sage sauntered up to Rebecca's side, his eyes glittering with mischief. 

"Oh no, Percy, it's all good. Draven and I were just leaving; weren't we, Drave?" Sage announced loudly, his voice silky and persuasive. 

Draven appeared at Rebecca's other side, blinking curiously. 

"We were?"

Sage nudged Draven's side and exchanged a look with him. Draven's eyes widened with sudden realization. 

"Oooh, yeah. We totally were. See ya, kid!"

"W-wait-" Rebecca started, but Sage intertwined his arm through Draven's and the two were off. Draven occasionally peeked over his shoulder and gave Rebecca a sneaky look and Rebecca fought the urge to sigh exasperatedly. 

"I have no idea what that was all about," Rebecca stated apologetically, touching Percy's arm gently. 

Percy's face reddened and he cleared his throat quickly. "Well, I guess it's not necessarily a bad thing. I thought I was interrupting something important."

Rebecca rolled her eyes, drawing her hand back and placing it back on her hip. 

"Nah, it's never anything important with those two dorks," She turned a curious look to Percy. "So, what did you want anyways? Is everything alright?" 

Percy nodded almost immediately, his hands fumbling with each other absent-mindedly. 

"Oh yeah! Everything's fine! I just was... Wondering about something..." 

Rebecca raised an eyebrow curiously. Usually, whenever Percy wanted to know something, he was usually pretty open about asking. Like the time where he'd asked if she actually had fire powers and helped her discover that she did in fact. Or the time where he'd asked her about her life before camp and listened intently while she droned on and on about stuff she had previously thought no one cared about. This time, Percy looked petrified. 

"Wondering about what?" She asked, her eyes narrowing with concern. "You know you can ask me anything." 

Percy's hands went up to his neck and began to fiddle with the small beads on his camp necklace as he often did when he was nervous. 

"Well, I know that. It's just... I dunno, embarrassing?" 

Now Rebecca was really intrigued. 

"Spit it out, you big dork. I'm sure everything is fine." 

Percy took a quick breath before words flooded out of his mouth. 

"Do you maybe want to take a walk around the beach or something? I mean, you don't have to, but it's really nice out and I thought it would be fun and-" 

Rebecca smiled and held up her hands as if to say 'calm down, man'. 

Percy gave her a nervous look as she opened her mouth to respond. 

"Of course I'll go. What was so embarrassing about that? We hang out all the time, Perc. It's what friends do." 

Percy cringed, but swallowed and nodded, an awkward smile curling up his lip. 

"Yeah, I know. I dunno why I was getting all worked up about it," He dropped his hands back down to his sides and took another breath. "You want to go now or...?" 

Rebecca shrugged nonchalantly. She really hadn't planned on doing much today and she was pretty sure that Pollux and Mitchell were still sparring, so she figured it would be no big deal if she called it a day so early. She'd been working hard lately anyways. Her attack and defense had improved intensely. 

"Yeah, why not?" She stretched again, popping her back casually with a sigh of bliss. "If you're down, I'm down." 

Percy nodded, his smile becoming more genuine. 

"Great! I mean, that's good. I mean... Let's get going, shall we?"

Rebecca rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time that day, but nodded nonetheless. She began to follow Percy to the beach, watching the demigods around her send her strange looks. 

Cecil and Lou Ellen, who were sitting near the dining pavilion gave her twin thumbs ups. 

Valentina, from the Aphrodite cabin, paused in her conversation with her younger sister Lacy to give Rebecca a longing look. 

Damien White and Chiara Benvenutti gave Percy and Rebecca a look and began jostling each other back and forth. 

Rebecca frowned. Why was everyone asking so strange? She'd hung out with Percy plenty of times by herself. Why now was it such a big deal?

She shook her head and continued following Percy to the northern border of camp where the beach was located. A few lazy waves were lapping at the shore and seagulls cawed raucously in the distance. Despite the noise, it was rather peaceful. 

Rebecca turned and gave Percy a playful look, suddenly darting over to the shore and taking off her shoes as she ran. Percy's face lit up with surprise and he chased after her quickly, giving her a bewildered expression. 

"Hey, Percy. I'd say it'd be a waste to not go swimming on a day as nice as this one. What do you say we go splash around for a bit, huh?" 

Percy's face reddened slightly as Rebecca removed her socks, glasses, and finally her shirt. She wasn't all that concerned for she was wearing a sports bra underneath and as far as she was concerned, it covered what it needed to. Besides, she'd seen Percy in his boxers too many times to count on one hand. It really didn't affect her anymore. 

Rebecca threw her discarded clothing items into the soft, warm sand beyond the water and trotted out to where the waves met the shoreline. She let the salty water wash over her feet and let out a sigh at the cool feeling it left in its wake. 

Turning her head, she saw Percy standing stock still where she'd left him. His mouth was open slightly and he looked a bit conflicted on what to do.

Rebecca tilted her head and waded out a little further, feeling the water go up to her waist. She let out a squeal at the cold before she got used to the temperature and leaned back. Her blue and white hair floated behind her in the water and she sighed again. 

"Come on, Percy. I thought you were the son of the sea god for crying out loud! Don't leave me alone out here," She lifted her head up and let her wet hair cascade down her back. "Come on, the water feels nice." 

Percy blinked tightly before a gigantic grin lit up his face and he raced across the beach. He lifted his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side, standing in his jeans and shoes. As he removed his footwear, Rebecca took the time to admire his chest and stomach. 

Percy was well built; muscular, but not overly. Faint marks of old scars and wounds trailed across his bare skin in light lines and dashes. His broad shoulders looked all the more powerful in the sunlight and Rebecca remembered the time when Percy had lifted her up from behind when she'd drifted off in the lunch line. She'd squealed and kicked relentlessly until she figured out it was him before melting into a giggly mess. 

The son of the sea god worked with his belt and pulled his jeans to his feet, revealing that he had, in fact, come prepared. He was decked in dorky, Flounder and Sebastian swim shorts beneath his pants and Rebecca giggle-snorted. 

"Nice shorts, Nautical Nerd." 

Percy shrugged, walking over to the water and stepping into the cool liquid without hesitation. Rebecca knew he wouldn't even get wet from the water unless he wanted to, but he still shivered at the cold initially. 

"You lied. It is totally freezing in here." 

Rebecca rolled her eyes again. She seemed to be good at that.

"Give it some time, you big baby. You'll get used to it," A mischievous grin lit up her face and she turned to Percy. "Until then, I have a way to help with that."

"What-" 

And without a warning, Rebecca sent a huge splash Percy's wave and watched as his eyes widened at the cold. He yelped, hugging himself to keep warm. After a moment, his eyes narrowed playfully and he let out a mock growl of anger.

"I'll teach you to mess with the one and only Percy Jackson. Come here!" 

He lunged forward and grabbed Rebecca's waist, leaning back and dipping her underwater. As they resurfaced, Rebecca in Percy's arms bridal style, Rebecca laughed and sent a few soft punches at his shoulders. 

"You big jerk! If I weren't in the water right now, I would have burned you to a crisp by now!" 

Percy snorted, sending Rebecca a cocky smirk.

"You wouldn't." 

"Oh yeah? Put me down and you'll find out!"

Percy took his turn to roll his eyes and dropped Rebecca like a sack of flour. Rebecca squealed as she fell into the water, righting herself immediately as water trickled down her face."Oh, you asked for it, buster! It's time for a water war!" She sent another huge splash at Percy who dipped out of the way just in time.

"Bring it, Becca." He barked and rose a large bubble of water out of the ocean, hovering it over Rebecca's head. She let out a shriek and began to race away as fast as she could. Percy chuckled and raced after her, threatening to drop the bubble at anytime. 

"Stop, you big bully!" Rebecca wailed plaintively before making a sharp turn and barreling into Percy. The demigod stumbled backwards and lost his control on the bubble and it splashed down on him. He spluttered for a moment before cracking his knuckles.

"It is on." 

\--------------------------------------------------

The sun had long gone down and the beach was draped with darkness. Fireflies flew overhead and the water had grown even cooler. Too cold for Rebecca's liking. 

The duo had had an intense water fight (that Percy claimed to have won) before denouncing that it was too cold and racing each other out of the ocean. They dried themselves off and got redressed as the moon and stars began to appear. 

Percy and Rebecca had begun to walk along the edge of the beach as they had initially planned on doing and Rebecca had lit a small fire in her palm so they could see in the night. Her flames usually were orange or red, typical colors of fire, but tonight, they were sky blue. 

In the glowing light of the fire, Rebecca walked by Percy's side, picking up seashells she found in the sand and chucking them out to sea once more. After awhile of this, Rebecca grew tired and leaned on Percy, just looking up at the stars. She didn't know when her free hand's fingers had become intertwined with Percy's but it had happened and she wasn't going to change that. 

A dainty yawn erupted from Rebecca's mouth as she pointed upward at a cluster of stars. 

"That one's Orion. I can see his belt from here." 

Percy nodded, his face illuminated by the blue flames beside him. In that lighting, his eyes appeared to be even more sea-like than they usually did in daylight. Rebecca could also see his cheekbone and chin more prominently defined now. And his jet black hair fell into his eyes whispily...

"Hey, Rebecca...?" 

Rebecca felt herself jump a tiny bit at Percy's voice. He'd been rather quiet since the two had gotten out of the water. 

"Yeah, Perc?"

Percy stopped walking abruptly and Rebecca felt anxiety churn in her stomach. 

Had another camper found them? Were the harpies out for a midnight snack?

"I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you. Like just you in general. You're the best friend I've ever had," He paused before chuckling quietly. "Well, besides Grover, I guess."

Rebecca felt light blush dust her cheeks and she hoped the blue lighting covered it well. 

"Oh yeah? But we've only known each other for about... Five months, maybe? Give or take. I'm not that great." 

Percy shook his head, reaching for Rebecca's hands. She instinctively stopped her flames and Percy took her palms in his hands. 

"You honestly can't believe that, can you? I mean, you always listen to me rattle on about everything, you always laugh at my jokes, even when they're not funny, and you're always willing to talk to me... Not just because I'm well known either. It's like you genuinely like me as a person and it's just... It's nice..." 

Rebecca nodded slowly. 

"I feel the same way about you, you know. You're the only person here that I trust with all my heart. You stand up for me all the time and you're honestly just a good guy, inside and out." 

Percy laughed awkwardly, looking away for a minute before looking at Rebecca again. 

"I, uh... I think I might like you a little differently than you like me..."

Rebecca, who was starting to put two and two together, felt her face heat up even more.

"Listen, Rebecca I... I don't mean to be straight-forward or anything, but I really like... Love you. And I'd love nothing more if you felt the same way."

Percy took a step forward, his hands still holding Rebecca's, but Rebecca took a step backwards. She pulled her hands from Percy's reluctantly and gave him a mournful look. 

Percy seemed a bit hurt, but continued nonetheless. 

"Can I... Will you... Uh, can I be your boyfriend?" He asked, his voice little more than a whisper. 

Rebecca winced, running her fingers through her hair quickly and looking down at her feet. 

"But I'm... I'm different, Percy. I'm not like you or Lou Ellen or Grover. I'm... Unnatural..." 

Percy didn't hesitate, extending his arms for a hug. 

"Different is good, Rebecca. You're all I could ask for." 

Rebecca stared at his outstretched arms for a moment before sinking into the embrace, feeling Percy's strong arms hold her close. His head rested on her shoulder and she could feel his warm breath near her ear. He rubbed her back comfortingly as Rebecca felt a few hot tears fall onto his T-shirt.

They weren't tears of sadness though. 

After a moment a holding and being held, Rebecca pulled back again, slower this time. She look into Percy's sea green eyes and saw the longing that was there. She knew now that he was serious. He truly did love her.

And as Rebecca stood on the tips of her toes, leaned forward and closed her eyes, she knew she loved him too. 

Rebecca's lips met Percy's and sparks danced across her face. Percy kissed her back softly after getting over the initial shock and his hand moved up to cup her cheek. The two kissed for a moment before breaking away gently.

Rebecca took in Percy's face. Blush covered his cheeks, but the smile on his face was completely clear. She'd never seen him look so happy before. 

She cleared her throat awkwardly, before looking into those beautiful green eyes again.

"I love you too..." She murmured and Percy leaned in for another quick kiss. As he pulled back, he trailed his fingers though her hair. 

"Thank you for everything, Rebecca." He murmured softly. 

Rebecca pressed her fact against his chest and smiled. 

"No... Thank you..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whew, first request done! This is the first Oc x Canon story I've ever written as a oneshot! I have one more Oc x Canon request to do :'D


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Pearl Jackson discovers that not everything in her life is as it seems, she turns to her best friend for comfort.

(This story was a request by aph3802 on Quotev. Pearl is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!) 

Pearl Jackson had known Grover Underwood almost all of her life. Being her brother, Percy's best friend, he came over to the house often and would always greet her with the same smile and wave. There was a period of time when Percy was twelve and she was ten where Grover, Percy, and her mother had disappeared for awhile and it had been the worst few days of her life. She had been stuck with her awful stepdad, Gabe and she could have thought of nothing worse. When her mother finally came back, she was frazzled and tired, but she seemed to be very relieved. 

Pearl never asked where she'd been, but she did question as to why she never saw Percy or Grover around anymore. Her mother, Sally had simply explained that they had gone off to a summer camp and they would both be back before they knew it.

A couple of days after Sally returned, Gabe mysteriously went missing and never came back. That left just Pearl and her mother; alone. 

For years after that, Percy would leave for his camp in the summer and come back during the school year. However, Grover did not return with him. When Pearl questioned Percy about this occurrence, Percy explained that he'd gotten a job at the summer camp and was very busy there.

Pearl was a little hurt. She thought that she and Grover had been good friends. She had thought that she, Percy, and Grover were the inseparable trio. Clearly, she had been wrong. 

The small girl had been inconsolable for days, hiding in her room, and refusing to talk to Sally or Percy no matter what. She refused to touch her meals, do her homework, or step outside no matter how pleasant the weather was. Even promises of taking her to the beach which she had loved since she was a child proved to be useless. 

When asked what would make her feel better, Pearl was adamant. She claimed that either she would be brought to see this unusual summer camp or Grover would come to visit her before she began to fix her behavior. 

Percy and Sally finally caved in. On the last week of Pearl's eighth grade year, Sally told Pearl that she had been able to contact Grover. Pearl's long lost friend had immediately agreed to visit as soon as possible and before Pearl knew it, Grover was home. 

Pearl had simply came home from the last day of eighth grade to see her doofy, nature loving friend standing at the doorway of her house, holding a pale, white daisy in his shaky hand. 

Without hesitation, Pearl had darted forward, throwing her arms around Grover and hugging him, chastising him for leaving and never telling her. She filled him in on all the things he'd missed over the years, told him how she was feeling, and how much she'd missed him, and how she was going to be a freshman next year. She'd then paused and smiled shyly. 

"After being gone for so long, I guess I should ask you what's been going on in your life, huh?" She'd asked sheepishly. 

Grover had simply smiled in return and placed the daisy behind Pearl's ear. 

"We have all day for that..."

The duo had spent the day hanging out around town. At the park, the movie theater, in Pearl's room, and yes, the beach. As the duo walked along the beach (Grover limping on his weak legs), Pearl suddenly stopped. Grover had instantly grown worried that he'd done something wrong and placed a hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Pearl? Are you okay?" He'd asked.

Pearl turned an equally nervous gaze to Grover, finger combing through her hair absent-mindedly. She chewed on her bottom lip, looking down at the sand and back up to Grover's big, brown eyes. 

"It's just... When are you going back to that camp? It's been so long without you and... I just don't want you to leave me again so soon." 

Grover opened his mouth as if to argue, but took one look at the look in Pearl's big, violet eyes and couldn't bring himself to do it. He looked down at the ground, his face reddened and his eyes guilty. 

"After today... I have to go back..." He hesitated, thinking to himself for a moment before brightening ever so slightly. "But, hey, m-maybe I can convince The Council-, the other counselors to let me take a year off after the summer is over! I mean, I'm sure they can manage without me for a little while. I spend all my time there anyways." He looked up awkwardly and met Pearl's gaze. "Besides, it's been forever since I've been able to spend any time with you. It'd be nice..." 

Pearl nodded, leaning against Grover and breathing in his scent. Grover smelled like the forest; of trees, and wildflowers, and rivers. He also had those big, brown puppy-dog eyes, curly brown hair, and the start of a beard on his chin. His face donned one of those sad smiles that looked like he held all of the world's problems on his shoulders. Pearl just couldn't say no to him... Not now, not ever.

"It would be nice... Okay, I trust you... I just wish I didn't have to wait so long to see you again." Pearl whimpered, burying her face in his chest like a little girl. She wished that she and Grover could just stay at home forever with her doofy older brother and her kind mother. 

Those three people were the only ones she needed in her life. 

Grover sent her that sad smile again, brushing his hand down her back gently like he was unsure if he were allowed to. 

"I promise, the summer will go by quickly and then I'll be back," He smirked mischievously, nudging his friend with a playful glimmer in his eyes. "And then you'll be stuck with me. However will you survive?" 

Pearl let out a sigh, slugging Grover softly and looking up at him with mock distress.

"I have no idea. How does Percy do it?"

Grover chuckled, his laugh sounded much like a goat's bleat. That was something that made him distinguishable, that laugh. Pearl loved it. 

"Sometimes, I'm not even sure he does..." Grover replied. 

As the sun dipped below the horizon that night, Grover and Pearl had returned home. After a tearful good-bye, Grover was gone again along with Percy, and Pearl was left alone once again. Her summer was spent walking aimlessly around town and watching the blue waves crash along the beach shore. Every day, she'd look out across the sea and she'd wonder is she was always destined to be this lonely. However, whenever those thoughts came crawling back to her, she pushed them aside and reminded herself that Percy and Grover would be back come September and they'd be here to stay for the year. 

That thought alone was enough to make her smile and every night, she'd crawl into bed and count the days until her best friends returned.

The summer seemed to last forever, but eventually, September did roll around. Percy was home and already preparing for his next busy year of high school. Pearl was nervously gathering her supplies for her freshman year and her mom was comforting the two of them that everything would go just fine. Pearl found that whenever she was worried though, the thought of Grover arriving soon was enough to tide her over. 

The day when Grover returned from his summer camp with his floral printed suitcase, and dorky looking Rasta hat was the happiest day of Pearl's life. She'd given him one of her trademark hugs and a kiss on the cheek to which he responded with a shy bleat-laugh. He unpacked that night and chose to sleep on the couch in the living room though all of the Jacksons had suggested he sleep in their room instead. Pearl couldn't stop grinning. She couldn't believe things were back to normal again.

The next morning, Grover broke the news that he'd be enrolling in high school his friends this year. Somehow, he'd gotten the okay from the school board and everything was set up. He'd be in Percy's grade, which disappointed Pearl, but he'd be in the same school as her which was good enough. 

School started the next week and the two Jackson's (and Underwood) were subjected to the chaos that was high school once again. However, Pearl found it much more tolerable with Grover back. Ever since the first day of her freshman year, he'd been by her side, defending her from bullies, helping her with her homework, and just being there for her in general. 

For once, Pearl was genuinely happy with her situation. She, Percy, and Grover would plan little hangout sessions around town whether it be the arcade, the park, or the beach. The trio grew even closer than they had been before and Pearl couldn't even imagine what her life had been like without her brother and Grover in it. 

Pearl's grades improved, her posture grew straighter and more confident, and she refused to be a doormat to bullies any longer. She stood up for herself on the daily and even made a few friends who she felt she could trust. No longer did she sit by herself at lunch or during class.

Sally and Paul Blofis, her mother's new boyfriend, were delighted by the attitude adjustment and even suggested that she take some advanced classes or join some clubs. Pearl was actually starting to consider it. With the encouragement of Grover and Percy, she joined the school's swim team and became the second best swimmer next to Percy.

She was becoming well known in the school as the golden girl of the freshman class and she loved every second of it. Never in her life had she been so pleased with herself and wished it would never change. 

However, one night in April, Pearl heard her mother and her two friends talking in hushed, panicked voices behind the nearly closed kitchen door. Pearl wasn't known to eavesdrop, but when her name was mentioned in a strained voice, she grew curious. Pressing her ear against the wall, she listened to them talk.

"...Can't risk keeping her out in the open like this. Nothing good will come from it..."

"Yes, but she's made it this far without anything bad... Why can't I just keep one child? It's hard enough without you here, Percy..."

There was a bit of a quiet argument that Pearl could not hear no matter how hard she tried to, but then, a surprisingly steady voice cut through the bickering and it silenced quickly. 

"You don't need to worry, Sally. I'll take good care of her. You have my word. It won't be... Like last time..."

It was all quiet for a moment before Sally broke into muffled sobs and the two boys shushed and comforted her to the best of their ability. 

Pearl couldn't listen anymore. She didn't understand and frankly, she didn't want to. She hated to hear her mother sound so broken and it sounded like it was because of her. 

She went to bed without speaking to the others that night. The next day, she was very subdued though Sally ,Percy, nor Grover were acting different in the slightest. They couldn't understand where the sudden bout of sadness had come from and they seemed to have no idea that Pearl had heard anything. 

After about a week of moping about, Pearl still hadn't noticed a change in behavior. She decided it was useless to act so sad if she didn't even know what she was sad about and thus went back to her happy state of mind. 

The last two months of school passed without a problem and on the last day of school, Pearl found herself seated at the dinner table at home. Sally had demanded a family meeting (that included Grover) and Pearl didn't argue. Whenever her mother was this serious, she figured it was something important.

The two Jackson siblings, the tired Jackson mom, and the ever so nervous Underwood boy stared at each other from across the table, their gazes darting to and fro, to the ceiling to the floor and back. No one would speak and awkward silence filled the air. Pearl hated it. Finally, she could stand it no longer. 

"Alright, would anyone care to explain why everyone is so worried tonight? What is it? Am I failing my classes again and no one's told me yet? Are we moving? Did a relative pass away? What's going on?" 

Sally and Grover exchanged a look before Sally cleared her throat and gave Pearl a sympathetic glance. She brushed her long, brown hair out of her eyes and began to speak in a wavering voice. 

"Pearl... Have you ever stopped to wonder about... About your father? Who he was, what he did for a living, where he lived...?" Sally drummed her fingers on the wooden table beneath her hand methodically to relieve some of her tension. 

Pearl frowned, crossing her arms across her chest and leaning back in her chair, hearing a creak from the old wood. Her violet eyes grew stormy.

"Yeah, I guess so. I just always figured that he... He was some bad person who left once I was born; kind of like Percy's real dad." 

Grover chewed at his thumb nail nervously as Percy's eyebrows furrowed. He opened his mouth to protest, but Sally held up a palm and shook her head. Percy huffed and leaned back in his chair as well, looking slightly disgruntled. 

Sally took a moment to compose herself before continuing, breathing in deeply and exhaling with pained strain. She risked a glance at her daughter's eyes once again. Sally's doe-like eyes were watery and pleading as if willing Pearl to understand. Pearl had no idea what she was meant to understand at this point in time. 

"Well, about that... You and Percy actually do share the same father, Pearl. His name is... His name is Poseidon." Sally stated carefully, and taking in Pearl's reaction. 

Pearl cocked an eyebrow. 

"Weird name. Isn't that, like, the name of the sea god or something? I've never heard anyone named after him before. Anyways, no matter what his name is, what about him? Why doesn't he ever come to visit us then? Where does he live? Does he actually love us?" 

Sally's pained expression grew more and more tired as if she was weighed down from the bottom of her heart. It looked as if she'd had this conversation before and she hadn't been looking forward to a repeat. 

"That's the thing, dear... Poseidon was... Is the sea god. He is a god, Pearl," She chewed on her bottom lip and gave Pearl that same pleading look once more, "Do you know what that makes you, Pearl?" 

Pearl frowned deeper, her face a mixture of confusion and anger. Nothing that her mother was saying was making sense in the slightest. What did Sally mean, Poseidon was a god? The gods weren't real, everyone knew that. How on Earth could one be her father? Or Percy's father for that matter.

"Confused. What are you talking about Mom? There are no such things as gods and everyone knows it. Why are you lying to me? Stop making up stories and please, just tell me honestly who me, our dad is. I hate being kept in the shadows." Pearl growled. 

Sally looked taken aback. Pearl had never spoken to her like that before. Her facial expression morphed to that of hurt. 

"Pearl, it's true," Percy stated, his voice hardened. "I've met Poseidon and many other gods before and they are completely real," He glanced up at the ceiling, his voice wavering just the slightest, "And I talk about them like that. It never ends up well..." 

Grover nodded in agreement, having moved on from chewing on his thumb to chewing on the rest of his short fingernails. 

Pearl turned an exasperated look to Grover, feeling tears beginning to well up in her eyes. 

"Don't tell me that you're in on this too!" She cried. "Whoever's idea of a sick joke this was, it's not funny! I want you all to stop it right now!" 

Percy and Grover looked at each other and Percy nodded. Grover stood up and walked closer to Pearl who flinched away. Grover's eyes saddened at this, but regardless, he took a deep breath and moved his hands to his jeans. 

Pearl's flushed face turned red as Grover unzipped the front of his pants and began to tug them down. She let out a squeak and covered her face. 

"What the heck are you doing?!"

"Jeez, Pearl, would you just look? He's not... What you think he is..." Percy groaned, his voice sounding muffled from behind his palm.

Pearl shook her head adamantly. 

"I'm not looking until he puts his pants back on! I still have so much to see in my life and Grover's boxers is not one I have in mind!" 

Though a small part of Pearl argued against that, causing her face to heat up even more. 

Despite the wrongness of the situation, Pearl did feel curious. Percy was usually too embarrassed to even change in front of any of his family and whenever the topic of nudity, sex, or puberty was brought up, he'd let out a creaky excuse and leave immediately. If he wasn't abandoning ship while Grover stood half naked in the kitchen, something was up. 

Pearl steeled herself and separated her fingers just enough to where she could see through them and sent a quick glance in Grover's direction. 

"What the heck?! I knew your face was a little fuzzy, but have you ever heard of a razor?!" Pearl asked, removing her hands from her face and focusing on Grover's completely hairy legs. They were covered in brown fur-like bristles and Pearl had never seen anything like it before except for maybe at a petting zoo. 

She sent a bewildered look to Grover who blushed and kicked off his shoes.

Pearl looked down and saw that Grover did not, in fact, have feet. Where his feet should have been were two cloven hooves as black as obsidian. Pearl let her gaze roam back up to Grover's head as he slowly removed his Rasta cap as well. Two black stubs protruded from his mop of curly hair and Pearl nearly passed out as she put two and two together. 

"Y-you're half... Half donkey?!" 

At this, Sally, Percy, and even Grover began to laugh though Pearl could not see anything remotely funny about the situation. 

"You know, I should be offended at this point because that's what Percy said the first time he saw me too... I'm not half donkey... I'm half goat. A satyr. Greek guide of the demigods... Aka, you..." He sent a quick glance at Percy who cocked an eyebrow. "A-and Percy, of course!" 

Pearl blinked, shooting up from her chair and taking a few steps back."I-I don't understand... The gods are... Real...?" 

Sally nodded patiently, standing up herself more slow and deliberate as she extended a hand for Pearl. "As real as you or I." 

Pearl squinted at her mother's hand like it was foreign, "And one of them is my dad..." 

Percy huffed again, louder this time, "My dad too..." He grumbled. 

Pearl turned her gaze to Grover, blinking rapidly as if one of the times her eyes reopened, everything would be normal again and her friend would no longer be part goat or donkey or whatever he was. Nothing appeared to be changing though.

"And you're some sort of a fr-... Mythical creature...?"

Grover shrugged modestly. "I like to think I'm pretty human, but yeah, I'm a satyr." 

Pearl shook her head from side to side. "It's just... So hard to believe... I want to believe you, but..."

Percy's gaze softened and he stood up finally, walking over to his sister and placing a hand on her trembling shoulder. His sea green eyes met her gaze and Pearl could see sympathy swimming in the murky depths of them.

"I know it's a lot to take in the first time you hear it, but I promise it's all true. Everything will be okay, Pearl. There's a safe place... Two safe places for people like us to stay. You couldn't have possibly believed that the summer camp I go to all the time is one hundred percent normal." 

Grover nudged Percy with his shoulder and gave him the tiniest bit of a sharp look. 

"He's talking about Camp Half-Blood. It is a summer camp to most, but some of the campers stay all year long. It's a safe haven for demigods of all types to stay and train for as long as they need it," Grover scratched at his beard worriedly. "And I'm afraid we're going to have to bring you two back soon. Summer starts tomorrow and it's not safe for you to be out here without some monster repellent or something. We'll have to leave tomorrow." 

Pearl turned her wide eyes back to Sally, this time the pleading was in her own eyes. She willed her mother to tell her it was all a fever dream and everything would be okay. However, Sally's look grew grim. 

"He's right. You've only survived so long with me out of luck. You'd be safer at the camp this summer and you can come back during the school year. I'm not so worried when Percy's here to protect you..."

Pearl frowned with dismay, her eyes stinging.

"Mom, can't you see? They've gone crazy! You can't let them take me away! I don't want to leave you for some weird camp. I don't care if my dad is a stupid god. I don't care!" 

Sally cupped her daughter's face gently, but her expression was firm. 

"Don't you ever talk like that, Pearl. We're doing this for your own good and you'll be back before you know it. You're going and I don't want to hear anything else on the subject," Her gaze softened only slightly, "For now, I think you should pack your things and get some rest. You're going to need it." She turned to Grover and looked at him trustingly. "How will they be getting to camp? Will I need to give them a ride or...?"

Grover instantly perked at the mention of his name, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Oh no, Sally! We can't risk another..." He sent a meaningful look at Percy, "Incident. I'll contact Butch via Iris message tonight and ask him to send a pegasus to pick us up tomorrow."

"Preferably Blackjack," Percy put in.

Grover rolled his eyes, but nodded. 

Sally dipped her head in acknowledgement. She turned a sad smile to Pearl.

"Why don't you all go get packed? I'll make blue pancakes for breakfast tomorrow and blue cookies tonight... Think of it as a little good luck gift." 

And as Sally ducked away to the kitchen, Pearl felt that much worse.

\--------------------------

The night was fitful and disturbed by the thrashing of Pearl in her bed. No matter how hard she tried to sleep, she just couldn't do it. Her mind was on overdrive and she couldn't quite shut it off. Eventually, sleep did find her (fitful sleep, at that.) but they were chaos. Crazy gods, cute satyrs, and blue cookies plagued her dreams and Pearl woke up feeling even more tired than she had been before she had gone to sleep. 

The demigoddess of the sea ate her blue pancakes despondently, never casting a glance up for risk of seeing her mother's watery blue eyes. 

Percy and Grover seemed not at all affected and even, Pearl though, looked a little excited. Percy drowned his pancakes under syrup as per usual and Pearl noticed that Grover had been chewing on a ball of aluminum foil like an apple. She decided not to ask.

After the group had finished their breakfast, Sally sent them off to grab their things as they waited for their ride to camp. Pearl took this time to wallow in her self pity again, grabbing her bags and letting tears drip down her face. As she walked outside with her bags in hand, she felt a shaky touch on her arm.

Pearl turned to look into the bright face of Grover Underwood. If it weren't for his lack of pants, Pearl wouldn't have noticed he looked any different than he had the day before. 

"Listen, Pearl, I know this is a lot to take in at once, but I just wanted to say that things will be just fine. Camp Half-Blood is a great place and you'll meet a lot of new people and sing campfire songs and..." Grover trailed off as he noticed the sadness in Pearl's eyes. "Just... Try to give it a chance for me, okay? I promise that I won't let anything happen to you. At least, not bad things."

Before Pearl could respond, she heard heavy wing beats high above her and looked up just in time to see a flash of black barrel to the ground beside her and whinny on two legs. 

A real pegasus... Somehow I'm not surprised... Pearl thought sarcastically. 

Hey, watch the rude remarks, eh? A Brooklyn accented deep voice filled Pearl thoughts and she blinked with surprise. Before she could question anything, the door flew open and Percy raced over to the pegasus with glee in his sparkling green eyes. 

"Hey, Blackjack! Long time no see! How are ya, buddy? Butch treating you right?" 

Blackjack whinnied and bucked and once again, the voice filled Pearl's head. 

I tried telling that kid that I'd rather have donuts then some nasty old carrot from his sweaty hand, but he just won't hear it! 

Percy laughed, ruffling Blackjack's mane fondly.

"Well, you could stand to lose some weight before your next box of donuts, don't ya think?"

Blackjack nuzzled Percy's face and licked some crumbs away from his cheek.

I could say the same to you, Pancake Boy.

"Annnnnd, we can some how understand this pegasus's thought process... What else is new? Let me guess, our camp director is a freaking centaur," Pearl growled moodily.

Grover and Percy exchanged an amused glance as Sally stepped out of the house.

"Percy," She chided, walking over to join her son's reunion. "I told you not to leave the door open- Oh, hello there, Blackjack. Would you like a cookie?" 

Blackjack whinnied and Pearl heard a resounding 'yes!' rumble her brain. She sighed heavily. 

This was going to take some getting used to.

Sally fed Blackjack a blue chocolate chip cookie and then wrapped her arms around Percy. She gave him a kiss on the forehead, whispered something in his ear, and pulled away with a distant smile. She then walked over to Pearl and extended her arms for a more tender hug. She pulled her daughter close and rested her head on her shoulder. 

"Everything is going to be okay, Pearl," Sally murmured softly. 

Pearl sighed again, breathing in the fragrance of her mother's cooking. "That's what everyone keeps saying... When will I see you again?" 

"As soon as the summer ends. Percy will take you home with him as he usually does and you'll be back to school again. I promise you, it will feel like the time has gone by in the blink of an eye." 

Sally slowly let go of pearl and gave her a kiss on her forehead as well. She looked into her daughter's pretty violet eyes one last time and snapped her eyes shut to prevent any tears from leaking out. She nodded to Grover and the shy satyr trotted over to Pearl with an arm extended.

"Here, Pearl; take my hand. It's going to be a bumpy ride and you're going to need someone to hold onto..." Grover's cheeks were flushed as Pearl grabbed his hand. Despite everything, Grover was still her friend and she still trusted him to help her through this. 

The shaky boy led the demigoddess back to Blackjack who Percy was already on top of. His hands were woven through Blackjack's long mane and his eyes were closed in absolute bliss. 

Grover released Pearl's hand as he climbed onto Blackjack's back. He patted behind him and motioned for Pearl. Sally helped Pearl climb up and Pearl immediately wrapped her arms around Grover's waist. She thought she heard a shy bleat escape his mouth, but it was hard to tell. The world around her had become a dull fuzz. 

She was dimly aware of saying good-bye to her mom as Blackjack took a running start and began to lift off into the air, his ebony wings flapping in the sky. Pearl watched her mother fade like an ant on the ground and leaned her freshly tear-stained face into Grover's back. Grover tensed at first, but relaxed as the trio and the pegasus flew across the sky and onwards to camp. 

Pearl's eyes closed as her hot tears dripped onto Grover's back and the world began to go black as she slipped into sleep.

\-----------------------------

It was almost as if Pearl had only slept for a blink before she felt a pair of gentle, but firm hands shaking her awake. She grumbled irritably, but her purple eyes blinked open anyways. Grover leaned over her, his brown eyes sparkling with excitement. 

"Where are we?" Pearl moaned, sitting up with a stretch. 

"We're here; Camp Half-Blood! Percy and I somehow managed to get you to camp without you free-falling after you passed out." Grover responded with a shrug. 

Pearl's tired eyes looked wearily around at her surroundings, taking in the insane amount of sea-life memorabilia strewn about and an indoor fountain or sorts. Wind chimes that appeared to be made of pieces of coral hung from the ceiling and tapped against each other with hollow thunking noises. 

"No, I mean, where are we now?"

"Poseidon cabin. I thought it would be best for you to get used to being in it since this is where you'll be staying during the summer. It's sort of ocean-y, but I figure it's fitting you know?" Percy tugged at his beard shyly. "I may or may not have sent Percy to go hang out with his girlfriend for awhile until you woke up. I figured you wouldn't want to be bombarded with... You know... Sibling stuff?" 

Pearl's eyebrows furrowed and her bottom lip jutted out in a pout. "Why would I be concerned about sibling stuff when I have so many others things to be worried about right now? I mean, it's not exactly easy to accept that my dad is a Greek god, I can talk to horses, and my cr-best friend is a goat-boy" She grumped, crossing her arms with a huff.

"S-satyr..." Grover put in quietly. "A-and, I promise that it's always hard the first week. You'll get used to it, you really will. You just have to give it a chance!" 

Pearl felt hot tears welling up and threatening to spill down her cheeks. Her bottom lip quivered slightly. 

"Is it to much to ask to just want me normal life back? I miss being small, and dumb, and young. I miss running on the beach with my only friend and my dorky older brother while my mom sold candy on the beach. I miss my life, Grover. I want to go back to what I had. I was happy." 

At this, the tears flooded over and the salty sadness trickled down her face. She sniffled and wiped at her nose. She would have given anything to be in her mother's arms again. 

Grover reached forward and placed a hand on Pearl's shoulder, slowly rubbing it down her back like Sally used to do whenever she'd been crying. He must have picked it up from her during the school year.

"Pearl, I know it's hard now, but please, just trust me. We didn't tell you right away because we weren't one hundred percent sure. Poseidon appeared to your mother on two different occasions and he looked different both times. That's why you and Percy look so different. We were just trying to protect you, I swear. It's our, my job."

The demigoddess of the sea took a deep breath, wiping at the tears in her eyes. She finger combed through her hair rapidly.

"I'm not mad at any of you, I just... I just don't know how I'll ever get used to this..." 

Grover hesitantly removed his hand from her back and instead took Pearl's palm in his. He looked into her eyes sheepishly. 

"Here, what if I help you calm down a little. W-we could go for a walk in the woods... I-if you want to, that is..." 

Pearl took some time to mull over the idea, fiddling with a lock of her blue hair. 

"I-I guess, it would be nice..." 

Grover perked up instantly, grabbing her other hand and standing up. He helped her up as well and began to lead her to the door without further ado. 

\-----------------------------------------

"Yeah, I still remember Percy's first day here... He spent half of it konked out in the infirmary where he drooled a new Pacific ocean in front of his girlfriend, Annabeth. When he finally got up and went exploring, Clarisse gave him a swirly... Or attempted to before he blew up a toilet... Literally, not figuratively."

Pearl giggled softly, her sandal-clad feet padding against the fluffy, green grass beneath her. All around her, tiny wildflowers were waving in the breeze and the scent of wild strawberries wafted through the air. 

"Man, were all the demigods' first days here that wild?" 

Grover grinned, laughing to himself awkwardly. 

"Oh trust me, there's been worse. Lou Ellen Blackstone turned Chiron into a rabbit for a solid fifteen minutes. Cecil Markowitz got into a fight with Ellis Wakefield and got totally pummeled. Leo Valdez, Jason Grace, and Piper McLean fell into the lake..."

Pearl was genuinely laughing now. "Oh, man, some of those are pretty bad... I sort of feel bad for laughing." 

Grover shook his, his face alight with amusement. 

"Don't be. They're all in higher placing now. Lou Ellen Blackstone, Jason Grace, Piper McLean, and Leo Valdez are all head counselors here. Cecil Markowitz helps with weapon designing. Ellis teaches combat to the new demigods. And Chiron is no longer a bunny, thank the gods." 

Pearl let out a sigh, looking up at the sun above her. It shone brightly, illuminating her face and warming up her exposed skin. 

"You know, Grover, you always make me feel better..." 

That was odd; Pearl didn't remember thinking of saying that. She turned her head slightly to look at her friend and found herself blushing. 

The sun made his curls look lighter and fluffier. His brown eyes were sparkling with pure bliss. Everything about him was adorable from his fuzzy, bearded face, to his tiny, goat tail that wagged almost like a dog's would. 

Pearl had always found him good looking, but it had always been in the same way she thought about her brother. Percy was handsome, but not in the same way that his sister though Grover was. Grover was... Attractive... 

My God... Do I have a crush on Grover? Pearl thought to herself, blushing. 

Suddenly, Grover stopped. He looked conflicted, looking down at the ground and up at the sky again and again whilst wringing his hands. Pearl stopped walking, looking at him with concern. Before she could ask if he was alright, Grover turned to face her, his face serious, but entirely anxious. 

"Pearl, I uh... I... Have something to tell you..." He tugged at the orange T-shirt he was currently donning and bleated nervously. His face reddened, but he simply cleared his throat and continued. "I... Guess I haven't been entirely truthful about... Myself..." 

Pearl frowned, fighting the urge to feel his forehead for a fever. "Oh, please don't tell me that there's even more that I don't know about you..." 

Grover bleat-laughed again, scratching the back of his head nervously. 

"Well, yes... But not... Not necessarily bad...? I think..." 

"Please just... Tell me. No more secrets, okay?" Pearl whimpered. 

Grover nodded, swallowing his spit and tensing his entire body. His eyes snapped shut and before Pearl knew what was happening, words flooded from his mouth.

"Pearl, I... I love you! Always have and probably always will. I would love to be more than your best friend, your boyfriend maybe, and help you get used to your new life and be a part of it and hold you and just..." One of his brown eyes blinked open and he gave Pearl a scared expression. 

Pearl was taken aback. Her jaw gaped as if she couldn't believe what she had just heard and she silently stood for a moment, just staring at her friend and secret admirer without a word.

Grover instantly went into hysterics. 

"Oh my gods, I shouldn't have said that! I am so so so so so sorry-"

But before he could continue, Pearl pulled him in for a hug and pressed her face against his neck. 

Shyly, she replied, "I... I love you too..." 

For a minute, no one said anything and the two friends simply held each other, mulling over the newly shared emotions that had been brought to the light. Grover's hand brushed down Pearl's back once again and Pearl's finger tangled through Grover's curly hair. 

Eventually though, the two pulled back slowly, almost reluctantly and looked at each other. Grover leaned forward, his eyes closed, cupped Pearl's cheek, and pressed his lips to hers. Pearl felt sparks dance across her face and she kissed him back, reveling in the rising feeling in her chest.

The two broke away softly and looked at each other with goofy smiles across their faces. 

Grover gave Pearl a fond glance, intertwining his fingers through hers with a bit more confidence than usual. "So... How do you feel about camp now, Pearl?" He asked softly. 

Pearl wrapped her arms around her new boyfriend and snuggled against his chest. 

"I think as long as you're here with me... It might not be so bad..."


	4. Crystal Matthews x Clarisse La Rue 'Wasn't Trained to Love You'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crystal has never really been an average daughter of Apollo; fixated by the heat of battle and the feeling of a weapon in her hands, she's never really fit in. When the formidable leader of the Ares cabin decides to take her training into her own hands, the two slowly begin to feel much more than a trainer and trainee relationship forming between them.
> 
> (This story was a request by ShriekerGirl on Quotev. Crystal is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!)

'Wasn't Trained to Love You'

(This story was a request by ShriekerGirl on Quotev. Crystal is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!) 

Being a daughter of Apollo, Crystal didn't get much of a chance to practice her hand-to-hand combat skills much. Her cabin was expected to heal and sing and prance around like at any given moment a flock of adorable little woodland creatures would start to follow them and clean up their cabin. 

That wasn't Crystal. 

Well, she loved singing just as much as the next demigod, but she didn't like to center her whole identity around it. And healing? Don't even get her started. 

All of the medicines, tourniquets, wraps, and bandages mashed together in her head as one big, whirling mess. She couldn't help it. Being a demigod, she was hardwired for battle. 

Sitting around at the sidelines and watching her friends and camp-mates get injured in battle while she did absolutely nothing irked her to no end. She was known to clench her fists and rub her hands together with a malicious glimmer in her eye whenever it looked like Camp Half-Blood was going to be calling in reinforcements. Then she could finally join in the rough-housing and show her off what she knew.

Yet, it rarely happened. 

Camp Half-Blood had highly trained and strong combatants and they were rarely overpowered. Even if they were, all the Apollo cabin was expected to do was usually just to shoot some arrows or cause a diversion. 

Looking back, that's how a lot of Crystal's cabin went out in the end. Lee Fletcher's brains were bashed in by a giant. Michael Yew was killed after the bridge he was standing on exploded. Now it was up to Will Solace to lead the whimsical cabin. 

And Crystal hated it.

Don't get her wrong, Crystal loved her doofy surfer-dude brother, but by the gods, was he ever boring. He spent most of his time giving new demigods tours on the camp, training in the archery arena, or flirting with his boyfriend, Nico Di Angelo. That left absolutely no time for him to bring his half-siblings down to the actual training arena and get some actual sparring in.

Because of this, a lot of Crystal's cabin-mates were... Well, soft. 

Kayla and Austin had the same strong spirits as the rest of the cabin, but they put all of their effort into their instruments and bows and not enough time into a sword or a dagger. Victoria, the second eldest in the cabin, was HIGHLY competitive and aggressive, but almost too much so. She never stayed with her cabin for more than she had to. Almost all of her time was spent with the Ares cabin down on the training grounds. 

Crystal had pleaded with her day after day to take her down to the arena just once, but Victoria constantly brushed her off. She thought she was better than everyone and Crystal was no exception. It would be a blue moon before Victoria ever considered training Crystal. 

And that was why when Clarisse La Rue, aka the head counselor of the Ares cabin, offered to start training Crystal every other day when everyone had left the arena, Crystal was sold. 

Although the two girls had never really spoke before other than a few times in the dining pavilion or throwing insults at each other during Capture the Flag, Crystal immediately accepted the offer. Being trained by the strongest warrior Camp Half-Blood had to offer while no one looked on or watched; it was simply too good to be true. 

And so, every other day when the sun was just starting to dip behind the clouds, Clarisse would stop by the golden Apollo cabin as it shimmered in the fading sunlight, grab Crystal by her hand and drag her to the arena, sweat glistening down her battle-scarred forehead. 

Clarisse showed absolutely no mercy when it came to her sparring sessions and Crystal loved it. She needed as much practice with a viable enemy as she could get and Clarisse was everything she could have hoped for.

The Ares counselor provided weapons of every kind. Any weapon you could think of would be brought down to the arena one day or another. Sometimes, weapons of Clarisse's own invention would show up as well; Crystal was in charge of beta-testing them.

Over time, Crystal grew quite skillful. Although she could never quite beat the Ares counselor in her war games, she knew that every sparring session, she grew closer to her goal. 

Clarisse would stumble, trip, or miss a blow and Crystal could tell that she was beating her at her own games, slowly, but surely. One day, Crystal vowed, she would conquer the mighty demigoddess and prove that Crystal Matthews was a force to be reckoned with; not some flowery little singer with a passion for healing. 

In fact, one day, she figured she'd have to heal the injuries people had sustained from her. A sparring session gone too heated, a Capture the Flag mishap, or simply a loss of temper; whatever the cause, she would care for her victim, but feel a flash of pride when taking into consideration that it had been her that had done it in the first place. 

Crystal Matthews, as you may have already guessed, was not your ordinary Apollo child. She was sixteen (the third oldest in the cabin) and she'd been a resident on Camp Half-Blood for as long as she could remember. She knew every nook and cranny of the camp and spent a lot of her time scoping out areas in the woods to hide from her boring old half-siblings. 

Crystal has long silvery hair that she usually tied up in a pony tail, (It was easier to spar without a ton of hair in your face. She didn't understand how Clarisse could do it.) and icy blue eyes that could strike fear into even the toughest of monsters. 

Needless to say, she was a very pretty girl, and although she didn't really like to flaunt it, she did sometimes catch her camp-mates staring at her from across the fire or pavilion. Not a bad stare like one might give to an enemy or a stare you might give to someone wearing very flamboyant clothing; it was more of a longing stare. 

And Crystal hated that too.

She had no time for that lovey dovey romance stuff if she were to become the demigoddess warrior she strove to be. She couldn't waste her time worrying about her significant other getting injured in battle. She couldn't second guess her actions for fear of not returning home to see her lover's sparkling smile again. It simply did not fit into her agenda. 

So, when Crystal arrived home from a long day canoeing on the lake and found a note on her bed, she was less than impressed.

'You're gorgeous.' Really?" Crystal snorted, as she read the note aloud to her curious siblings.

Victoria rolled her amber eyes, giving Crystal an unamused look as if she'd rather be anywhere else doing anything else. Crystal got that look from Victoria a lot. It seemed like her older sister was only happy when her dagger was hilt-deep in someone's stomach. 

"Well, then, we know the note isn't for you clearly..." The daughter of Apollo stated, sarcasm dripping from her tongue like poison.

Will nudged his sister in the side, giving Crystal an apologetic look. Kayla and Austin exchanged a glance and what seemed to be a few unspoken words. 

Crystal wasn't having it. 

"Oh, hush up, Victoria. I know the note is for me. Why else would it be on my bed?"

Victoria shrugged and, despite the intense glare Will gave her, spoke again.

"They could have dropped it their on accident. There are endless reasons why the note could be someone else's instead of yours. Don't think you're so special."

Crystal huffed. "Oh, yeah? It has my name on it, so I think your argument is invalid."

Victoria opened her mouth to speak again, but Will cut her off before she could utter a word.

"Enough, Victoria," Will turned back to Crystal, giving her his full attention before continuing. Crystal felt an appreciative smile curl up her lips. Even if Will was a total bore, at least he respected Crystal. "We know that the note is obviously for you, but the real question is... Who wrote it?"

Almost immediately, Crystal's smile morphed into a thoughtful frown and her eyebrows knit together. She rubbed at her chin, thinking of all the possible applicants. 

Kayla piped up from her position on the floor, "Could it have been Cecil? I mean, he always takes the time to come see you while we're doing archery in the arena." 

Crystal shook her head adamantly, almost disgusted by the idea.

Cecil was a nice boy, but she didn't trust him, not one bit. Being a child of Hermes, he was almost always pick pocketing people when they least expected it. He often helped his brother Connor play pranks around the camp as well. He was also best friends with the head counselor of the Hecate cabin, Lou Ellen Blackstone, and that girl was nothing but trouble. 

"It couldn't be him. He only comes down to the arena to get out of cleaning up the pegasus stalls. His cabin is always the messiest when it comes to cabin inspection. Even the couch potatoes in the Hypnos cabin can't beat them," She tightened her pony tail as she usually did when she was thinking hard. "Besides, he's always sleeping when I look up at the stands."

Austin nodded his head in agreement, wringing his hands as he too joined in the mission to find Crystal's secret admirer, "Maybe it was Mitchell from the Aphrodite cabin? He seems like the hopeless romantic type. If anyone were to write a love note, it'd be him."

Again, Crystal shook her head. 

"I'm pretty sure he's gay. I mean, have you ever seen the looks he gives Pollux and Damien? Sometimes he even checks out Clovis..." Crystal shuddered, wondering how anyone could find anything worth looking at with that sleepy mess. "Anyhow, if he was going to write me a letter, he'd write more than just 'You're gorgeous," Crystal shifted her weight from foot to foot. "At least, I hope he would..."

Will stood up from the floor, walking over to Crystal and giving her a sympathetic look. He clasped a hand on her shoulder, and looked into her eyes. Crystal could tell he was searching for fear or nervousness which was the last thing he needed to see from her at this point in time. She squared her shoulders and hardened her gaze. Will cocked an eyebrow.

"I wouldn't get so worked up over it, Crystal. It could have been anyone and, if they truly love you, they keep hinting about who they are until you finally find them. And when you do find them... Well, I'll wish you two the best!" Will flashed his sister a bright (almost blinding) smile. 

Crystal found his confidence to be contagious, and despite all of her vows against romance, she felt a flutter in her heart. She looked down at the looping letter on the note once again, and her cheeks began to heat up. 

Gorgeous...

Crystal lowered her gaze for just an instant, brushing her hand over Will's with much more gentleness than she thought she could muster. 

"Thanks, Will..."

\----------------------------

"Another one?!" Crystal exclaimed, taking a step back as a scrap of paper fluttered to the ground. 

Ever since the fateful day where Crystal had found the first love letter, she'd been finding them everywhere. Not a single person had come forward to claim that they were, in fact, the author of these little note of passion, so Crystal was just as clueless as ever.

This specific letter had been hiding in the scabbard of the sword she was going to use whilst training with Clarisse today. It simply read 'I wish you were mine'. Crystal felt her face reddened from the tip of her nose to the ends of her toes. 

Clarisse, who had been stretching across the arena, strode over to Crystal at the sound of her distressed voice. "What's going on, Crys?" She asked. She was one of the only people besides Kayla who called her 'Crys'. To be one hundred percent honest, Clarisse was one of the only people Crystal considered an ally, a friend. 

Crystal turned her wide blue eyes to her trainer, holding the note in front of Clarisse's face. "It's another love note!" 

The Ares counselor's eyebrows furrowed and she grabbed the note, inspecting it curiously. "Did you say 'another' love note? As in there's been more of these mushy gushy things?" 

Crystal nodded, her exasperated expression showing exactly how she felt about this. "I've been finding them all over for the past week now. I just found this one in my sword's scabbard!" She narrowed her eyes and looked from side to side across the arena for anyone suspicious looking lingering around somewhere. Finding no one, she sighed. "Did you happen to see who did this? Or who might have done it?" 

Clarrise shook her head, rubbing at her chin as she thought. This was something that most Ares campers did not do regularly. Anything that made a child of Ares think was truly a mystery in Crystal's book. "Not that I noticed... I was the only one that touched this sword today. I brought it straight from the weapon storehouse."

The daughter of Apollo tugged at her hair irritably. She didn't like being left in the dark on something that was completely about her. It frustrated her to no end. "I just wish I knew who was being so... Ridiculously sneaky about all this! I mean, why does this person even like me? What is there to like? I'm just a defective Apollo kid, for the gods' sakes!" 

Clarisse seemed a bit taken aback, but gave Crystal a smirk. Pacing towards her with her dagger unsheathed, she looked a bit like a more violent version of the Cheshire cat. "I have no idea who did it, but I can see you're worked up, so what better time to train? Come on, I can see you're frustrated. Put all that emotion into your swings and attacks and you might just beat me." 

Crystal felt the tension in her shoulders relax just the tiniest bit. Clarisse was right. Sparring was an excellent and surefire way to relieve stress and that was precisely what Crystal needed right now. 

Wrapping her slender fingers around the sword's hilt, Crystal took a threatening step forward, a confident smile bring up her lips. "Bring it on, La Rue."

\-------------------------------

The curtain near Crystal's bunk was pulled back and the bright sunlight of the new day shone on the daughter of Apollo's pretty face. Crystal smiled and stretched, arching her back to crack it as the heat warmed her bones. 

Even though Crystal wasn't your average everyday child of Apollo, the sun still had that amazing effect on her attitude. It was what woke her up and got her going every morning and today was no exception. She sat up, throwing her legs over the edge of the bed and standing with a bounce. She stretched her arms over her head and turned to see Will near the window.

"Mornin', Will!" Crystal chirped, cracking her neck. 

Will waved to her politely, looking a bit conflicted. Crystal recognized this look; it was the look that said 'I know something you don't, but I don't know if I should say anything'. 

Usually, Crystal got this look from Chiron, Austin, Clovis from the Hypnos cabin, and even sometimes Annabeth Chase from the Athena cabin. All of these people were empathetic and as soon as they learned something about someone else, they would keep it to themselves until they were sure on how the said person would react to receiving the news. Some of them were just better about hiding things than others were. 

Will was not one of those people. 

"Will... What are you hiding...?" Crystal asked, taking a step forward.

Will flinched, cursing himself under his breath. 

Crystal stomped her foot, beginning to get irritated. "Come on, Will. You're my brother and you know you can tell me anything. I'm a big girl. Whatever you have to say, I can take it." 

The blonde boy fiddled with his hands before exhaling a gusty sigh and giving up. "I found another note on the door this morning..."

Crystal threw up her hands with exasperation. "You couldn't have just told me that to begin with?" Her voice ended on a sharp note and Will flinched. 

"That's not what I... Listen, Crystal, I didn't just find the note... I know who put it there..."

At this, the daughter of Apollo perked up immediately. "You do? Well, who is it?! Come on, please tell me! I have to know!" 

Will winced again, looking even more conflicted than before. "I don't know if... If I should say..." He muttered, pink blush beginning to dust his already freckled cheeks. 

Crystal's eyes widened with dismay. "What?! You can't just tell me that you know who my secret admirer is and then not tell me who it is! Stop being difficult and tell me, Will!" 

Her brother pouted, crossing his arms. "I'm older than you and in charge for that matter. I don't have to tell you anything. Besides, I don't want to get on anyone's bad side..." 

Crystal felt like she was going to burst. Why did her brother have to be so concerned about other people's feelings all the time? Why couldn't he see that she was the one he was hurting right now? If anything, he was getting on her bad side. "I'm sure he won't mind if you tell me! I'm going to find out eventually! The sooner the better!"

Again, Will flinched. "'She'," He whispered. "They're a 'she'." 

The Apollo camper felt her eyes grow even wider. Her mouth slowly opened in an 'O' shape and she felt like her jaw was going to drop to the floor. She had to give herself a minute before she could respond. "A-A girl likes me?"

Will nodded guiltily, looking down at his sandal-clad feet like he were the worst person in the world at this moment in time. 

Crystal composed herself, taking a steely breath inwards and looking at her older brother expectantly. "Well... Who is this girl?" 

Will hesitated before realizing that he had pretty much given away everything anyways. With a long suffering sigh, he dipped his head even lower. "Fine... It was Clarisse..." 

Crystal, who had previously thought her eyes could not widen even further than they already were, was horribly mistaken. Her face paled to be as white as a sheet and then darkened to be as red as a cherry tomato. 

Will nervously opened one of his closed eyes to take in Crystal's expression. After a few moments where no one said anything, he finally straightened himself up and brushed the front of his Camp Half-Blood T-shirt habitually.

"Clarisse..." Crystal swallowed her spit. "Clarisse... Likes me?" 

Her brother nodded slowly. "She does... But you didn't here that from me, alright? I'd prefer to keep my throat as uncut as possible." He paused, looking at Crystal with a more searching gaze. "But, how do you feel about all of this...?" 

That was Will for you; always trying to be a therapist when what Crystal really needed was a brother. A confidant, an ally, and a friend. At this point in time, it as hard for her as is to simply wrap her head around the stated fact: 'Clarisse likes me'. 

Crystal felt strange. She felt like she was on fire from the tips of her toe to the top of her head and she was sure she was sure she was about fifty shades of red right now. At the same time, she felt like puking, but in a good way...? Her chest felt all light and fluttery, but it also felt heavy like she couldn't breathe. These were all new emotions to Crystal.

She sure as hell didn't want to discuss these feelings she was having with Will.

With a huff, Crystal crossed her arms. She was a lot more flustered than she wanted to let on and although it was near impossible to hide everything, she could try her hardest. "I'm not so sure I believe you. What if Clarisse was just delivering the letter from someone else? Maybe it's just someone in her cabin." 

Will shrugged, his gaze suggesting he knew that Crystal was simply in denial. "If so, why wouldn't she just tell you that?"

Crystal almost felt like crying out of frustration. Everything seemed to be pointing to Clarisse. "Maybe she just didn't want to give away who it was..."

Her older brother shook his head. "Does Clarisse really seem like the person who would do that for someone; especially her siblings? I'm telling you, it's her, Crystal. Now all you can do is accept it and take it from here. How you feel about the situation is completely up to you, but you should give Clarisse a solid answer before it gets more drawn out then it already is. Okay?" 

Crystal finger-combed through her silvery hair. Her expression morphed to one of determination. She stomped her foot, coming up with an idea that could put all of this confusion to rest. "I'll ask Clarisse if it was her. If she says no, in you face. If she says yes... Well, then I guess we'll have to talk about it..." Crystal began to walk over to the door.

Will jumped in front of his younger sister, looking desperate and just as guilty as ever. "Crystal, wait!"

Crystal stopped, looking at her brother grumpily. "Why should I wait? I want answers and I want them now."

The blonde boy in front of her sighed deeply, tugging at the ends of his wavy hair before replying. "Just... Just give it a day. You're all angsty right now and you should give it some time before you confront her about something as serious as this. Just wait until tomorrow and then ask her if you must." 

Crystal hesitated, trying to think through her foggy mind and focus on something, anything she could do today to keep her distracted and in good spirits. She hated to admit it, but Will was right. When she went through with things while she was highly emotional, she tended to hurt people's feelings. She didn't mean to, of course, she just got a little hot-headed and said things she didn't mean. Sometimes she pushed or shoved. It wasn't that big of a deal, but after all the things Clarisse had done for Crystal, she figured she'd be better off waiting.

Besides, if Crystal was completely honest, she was scared. 

Scared of it being true, scared of someone being in love with her, scared of reconciling the feelings, and scared of being taken. Crystal had always been a strong and independent girl and now, it seemed like that life was going to be taken away from her.

And at the same time, Crystal was nervous that it wouldn't be true. What if Clarisse thought she was weird for asking? What if she was embarrassed by the question? What if she never wanted to talk to (or train) Crystal again?

Crystal felt awful now. With a simple nod, she ducked her head. "I guess... You're right..." She forced the words out reluctantly. She hated being wrong and she hated admitting it even more. "I'll just... Help Butch with the pegasus stables today. I'll ask Clarisse tomorrow at our training session."

Will nodded, looking relieved. "Good idea."

Crystal nodded in acknowledgement, and attempted to push past Will to get to the cabin door. She thought she'd better get to the stables soon before she got all wrapped up in her thoughts again.

Before she could leave the Apollo cabin though, Will's gentle, but firm hands rested on Crystal's shoulders. His palms were warm and Crystal felt safe being held by him, but at the same time, she still felt scared and unsure. 

Will's bright blue eyes looked into Crystal's and he made sure she was giving him her full attention before speaking again. "Hey... I just want to let you know that whatever happens... I'll be here for you; the whole cabin will. Now, go to the stables and unwind for awhile. I'll cover your chores for you, alright?" 

His sister blinked slowly before a grateful smile slowly curled up her lips. "Okay... Thank you, Will. You're the best... Even if you do look like a hippie..." 

Will's face warped into one of mock-anger and he playfully nudged Crystal out the door. "Hey, you. Don't think I can't change my mind." 

Crystal rolled her eyes. "You won't."

And with that, she finally left the Apollo cabin.

\---------------------------------------------------

Crystal's heart felt heavy as she plodded to the arena the next day, her feet feeling like they were as heavy as lead. Every step she took, she felt the anxiety building and building. She'd be highly surprised if something bad didn't happen at today's training. She had too much of a bad feeling for something NOT to go wrong. 

Her eyes flickered to the ever closer approaching arena and she winced as she saw Clarisse pacing around the sandy training grounds. She held a hefty sword in her muscular arms, but she didn't seem to be straining with it at all. She was strong, stronger than Crystal could ever be, but that didn't mean that she was going to handle this any better than Crystal did.

"Crystal!" Clarisse called, nearly causing Crystal to jump out of her skin. "I was starting to think you were gonna be a no-show! Glad you could make it. I'm feeling extra pumped today."

That makes one of us... Crystal thought miserably, but she tried to appear as unbothered as she could. Apparently, it wasn't working because as she shuffled over to Clarisse, the older girl's eyes narrowed with suspicion. 

Crystal stood in front of Clarisse, her arms stiff at her sides. She knew she looked tense, but she simply couldn't help it. 

Will had been right; helping in the stables had cooled her down, but now she was more nervous now than anything. What if she messed things up? 

"Hey, Crys, is something on your mind? You look... Less blood thirty than usual..." Clarisse asked this seriously and Crystal wondered half-heartedly if she always looked like some sort of hot-wired killing machine. She could worry about that later.

Crystal shrugged, her act once again failing to convince Clarisse. Clarisse frowned, not appreciating the facade.

"Come on, Crys; something's bothering you. I might be a meat-head, but even I know when something's wrong. So..." Clarisse clapped a work worn hand over Crystal's shoulder and Crystal felt her eyes widen. "What's wrong?" 

Great, now I'm really gonna screw things up... Crystal thought grumpily, but externally, she composed herself. "Clarisse, I actually have something to ask you..." 

At this, Clarisse looked the tiniest bit uncomfortable. It was as if any time the subject was turned to her, she'd get flustered. It was strange to see the usually headstrong and confident girl look like a cornered animal.

"Y-yeah? What about me? You want to schedule more training sessions or something?" 

Crystal shook her head quickly. "No, no, it's just... Clarisse, did you write those love letters for me?" 

Clarisse's coffee brown eyes widened with surprise and Crystal watched as crimson blush immediately coated her cheeks. Instead of looking embarrassed though, Clarisse actually looked more angry than anything. 

"W-what?! How could you think that?! Come on, Crys; you might be my training partner, but I'm not head over heels in love with you or something mushy like that."

Crystal's gaze lowered to the ground. A part of her was cheering 'Yes! I was right!' while another very small part of her seemed... Disappointed? No, it couldn't be... This was what Crystal had wanted, so why did she feel so bad?

"S-sorry, Clarisse..." Crystal mumbled apologetically. This time, it was almost genuine. "I was just... Hearing a lot of rumors and I dunno... I guess I just wanted to know if they were true." Crystal brought her ice blue eyes up to meet Clarisse's burning glare. This was not something many campers got away with. "I knew it wasn't really you." 

Clarisse crossed her arms and turned her head to the side, spitting onto the dusty dirt ground. She cleared her throat; Crystal noticed that Clarisse had dropped her eye contact and her gaze was flickering around irritably. "It's fine, I guess. Let's just forget about all of this and get some actual training in before the day ends, yeah?" 

At this, Crystal scuffed her sneaker-clad heel on the ground. "I... Yeah, okay. Let's do this." 

But for once, Crystal felt as if there was more to life than fighting. 

\----------------------------------

It was almost unbelievable. 

One minute, Clarisse had been standing across the arena, taunting Crystal for believing the rumors and calling her a softy and the next minute, the Ares counselor was sprawled out on the dirt, the skin around her right eye swollen and red. Already forming bruises covered her body and her knuckles were bleeding slightly where she'd tried to defend herself. It had simply been too much.

Crystal had won.

Coming at Clarisse without a weapon on her or even anywhere near her, she was a flurry of punches and kicks. Clarisse had been so caught off guard that she'd not stood a chance. 

Instead of feeling accomplished and proud as Crystal thought she once might have felt, she felt horrible. Guilt, worry, and a strange tugging sensation on her heart flooded over her so powerfully that she began to tear up. She'd never felt anything like these emotions before and they were controlling her. Dropping to her knees near Clarisse, she extended a hand.

"Oh my gosh, are you alright?" Crystal asked, using her shaking hand to turn Clarisse's bewildered face to look for more injuries. Crystal inspected the wounds that littered Clarisse's battle-scarred body and felt her mind switching to one of a more protective mindset. "Come on, we should get these cleaned up as soon as possible-"

Clarisse batted Crystal away almost weakly, standing up with a grunt of effort and wavering from side to side on jello-like legs. She was trembling, but she didn't look as close to tears as Crystal felt. "Lay off, would you? I'm fine..." Clarisse paused before dipping her head with acknowledgement. Crystal had earned her respect. "That was impressive... You finally did it, kid. You finally beat me." 

Crystal's mouth opened and closed a couple of times, but no words emerged. Now what?

But before she could speak, Clarisse began hobbling away. Her direction was turned towards the Ares cabin and Crystal watched her slowly fade into the distance without a single look back.

Crystal had won, so why didn't she feel like a winner?

Breaking into a sprint, Crystal raced to the Apollo cabin, her chest heaving as tears flooded down her cheeks. Ignoring the looks of campers who strode by, she threw open the door of her cabin. Will and the rest of her siblings were there, but she paid them no attention. Crystal raced to the bathroom, threw off her clothes, and jumped into the shower. She turned the water on full blast and she winced as the boiling hot water splashed against her exposed skin. 

Everything had gone wrong.

After her long shower, Crystal dressed herself in a pair of baggy pajamas that the harpies provided each night. They were scarlet in coloration and Crystal felt five sizes smaller in the folds of these large clothes. She felt almost like a small child again. 

Crystal padded over to her bed on bare feet and sat down glumly.

"Crystal...?" Will's questioning look met Crystals' for a millisecond before Crystal turned away, wrapping her arms around her knees. Will's brows furrowed with brotherly concern and he sat down on the edge of the bed. 

Crystal pulled the sheet over herself. 

Again, Will gave her that questioning, but concerned look. "Are you gonna tell me what's wrong or am I supposed to guess?"

Crystal muttered into her knee caps. 

Will sighed heavily, brushing his hand over Crystal's back comfortingly. ¨Hey... If this is my fault... And even if it isn't my fault... I'm sorry..."

The daughter of Apollo melted into Will's touch and leaned in for a hug. Will, who was taken aback for a moment, held her close to his chest. 

"Things will get better, I promise." Will comforted, but Crystal was already drifting off to sleep...

\-----------------------------------

That night, Crystal slept fitfully. Will had laid her down once he was sure she was out and kissed her goodnight before tucking her in. The cabin had been unusually quiet that night and nearly none of Crystal's siblings went to the campfire. Despite all of this though, Crystal's dreams were haunted. 

Clarisse was everywhere and Crystal didn't understand. She'd never felt like thing for anyone, especially not Clarisse, so why was it so hard to control now? In fact, the dreams had gotten so bad, Crystal had sought out Clovis in the dreamscape and begged and pleaded until the counselor gave in and changed the dream to something else entirely. Though nearly every aspect of the dream had been changed, it seemed like Clarisse could still always be spotted in the crowd. 

Crystal woke up feeling more tired than she had been before going to sleep in the first place. If she were more lazy, she would have stayed in bed longer, but all of her senses were telling her to get up and at 'em. She forced herself to get up, get dressed, and tie her hair in her trademark ponytail. After this, she wandered aimlessly around the camp, looking for anything to do to distract her mind. 

A tentative tap on the shoulder brought Crystal back to Earth and she turned to see her half-sister Kayla looking up at her. Her dyed green hair flounced in the summer breeze and Crystal found herself finger-combing through her own hair absent-mindedly. 

"Yes, Kayla?"Crystal asked, not sounding all that genuine. 

Kayla cleared her throat awkwardly. Crystal had never noticed it before, but it seemed as is Kayla was almost terrified of her. "U-uh, I was just about to go canoeing on the lake and I was wondering if maybe you want to come with...? I mean, you don have to, of course, I just thought I ask because you looked really lonely and tired and-"

Crystal held up a hand and Kayla hesitated before closing her mouth. 

"That sounds lovely, Kayla. I could do for a little wake-up call. I'll go with you."

Kayla brightened a bit and smiled. "Great! Let's go!"

At this point in time, Crystal realized that this was probably some sort of master plan of Will's to check on how she was doing, but she was too exhausted to care. She followed her sister languidly, looking out at the sparkling waters ahead of her. 

Above Crystal's head, seagulls squawked noisily as they flew through the blue sky. Waves lapped at the shore of the lake, bringing sparkling seashells with them. There were already a few canoes out around the lake and even a few campers who played in the shallows by themselves. 

Crystal spotted a familiar yellow canoe in the distance where Kayla was headed. Her younger sister hopped into the canoe and Crystal was about to join her when she felt a strong hand clasp her shoulder. It was so familiar... 

She turned and was suddenly face to face with none other than Clarisse La Rue. Where she had come from, Crystal had no idea. All she knew was that Clarisse was barely a few inches away from her face... And her hand was incredibly warm...

As Crystal drifted into a daydream-like stupor, she took in Clarisse's rugged appearance. Her choppy, mouse brown hair was just as messy as usual. Her right eye was a dull purple, reminiscent of an eggplant. Her face had several bruises and scratches across it and looking further down, so did the rest of her body. 

Crystal had really done a number on her.

"You come with me, now. We need to talk." Clarisse rumbled deeply. 

Crystal winced, but nodded, swallowing her spit with a gulp as she turned to face Kayla. Kayla was sitting in the canoe, looking absolutely mortified. "I'll be right back..." Crystal squeaked, her voice cracking sharply. She cringed at herself, but nonetheless, followed Clarisse away from the canoe. 

The two girls stopped in front of the lake and for a long while, Clarisse stared across the expansive body of water. All was seemingly quiet now with even the seagulls silent and Crystal couldn't handle it. 

"Listen, Clarisse, I'm so sorry. I lost control and just really wanted to win and... I didn't hurt you too badly, did I?"

Clarisse turned to face Crystal, processing her words for a moment before chuckling quietly. "What? No, no, you couldn't hurt me that badly even if you tried... But..." She suddenly became a lot more serious. "That's not what I wanted to talk about..."

Crystal gulped again, feeling even more tense than she'd felt yesterday when interrogating Clarisse in the first place. Suddenly, she was beginning to think that canoeing hadn't been a great idea.

The Ares counselor took a deep breath, looking at the ground to compose herself before straightening and looking Crystal directly in the eyes with such intense determination that even Crystal was taken aback. Her mouth opened and some of the most powerful words Crystal had heard in the past few days flowed freely.

"It was me. I did write the notes."

And before Crystal could respond, Clarisse shot forward, grabbed Crystal's shoulders, and pressed her lips against hers. 

The kiss was electrifying. Shocks of warmth shot through Crystal's body and she stood numbly, not able to move or reciprocate the kiss at all. She simply stood there and allowed Clarisse to kiss her.

She was a good kisser. 

The kiss itself seemed to last forever in Crystal's mind, but in reality, it only lasted a few short seconds. It was all Crystal needed. 

As Clarisse pulled back, looking (for the first time in her life) scared, Crystal pounced forward, slugging her on the shoulder.

"Why didn't you just say so, you big doofus? I..." She paused. "I think I love you too..."

Clarisse rubbed her arm before her tongue flicked over her bottom lip. She leaned towards Crystal, cupping her cheek and sending her a relieved (and somewhat cocky) smile. "Because I wasn't training you to love me..."

A shy grin curled up Crystal's lips and she pressed another quick kiss on Clarisse's, just for good measure.

"You're right... But, I think you could train me."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First lesbian x reader done? COMPLETO BITCHHHH


	5. Meg Valentine x Will Solace 'Healing Hearts'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meg Valentine had seen a lot for only being fifteen. The year before, her brother had died, leaving her other brother and herself alone in the Dionysus cabin. She was sad, beyond sad and she felt almost as hopeless as could be. There was only one person who could change that and boy did he ever...

'Healing Hearts'

(This story was a request by MeganCuthbert2004 on Quotev. Meg is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!) 

Meg Valentine wasn't all that special. She was fifteen years old, a daughter of Dionysus, and the most painfully shy girl you'd ever meet. 

She was a pretty girl with chin length blonde hair with a purple streak down the front to symbolize her father and her violet eyes matched her older brother, Pollux's. Despite her father's previous party-crashing, fun-loving attitude, she and Pollux were nothing like that. Meg would rather curl up with a good book or watch the naiads splash around in the shallows of the camp lake before she ever thought of going wild in front of a bunch of drinking teenagers. 

In fact, she didn't even like alcohol. Her father was the god of wine and yet, she couldn't stomach the drink. It tasted like a poison to her, too sour and bitter. Her brother agreed, but he was still known to drink when things got rough. 

Meg hadn't always been shy (and Pollux hadn't always resorted to alcohol for his problems). In the past, Meg had been a very outgoing and optimistic girl with a bright outlook on life. Pollux had been an intelligent and strong-hearted young man as well. But the two siblings had a dark past...

You see, it wasn't always just them in the cabin. Pollux used to have a twin brother named, Castor. Castor and Pollux had been inseparable. They weren't exactly the mischief makers that Connor and Travis Stoll were or anywhere near as competitive as the duo of Laurel and Holly Victor; in fact, they were pretty chilled out guys. 

The two could be found hosting the punch bowl at campfires, singing with the Apollo cabin, and lazing around near the lake. They also loved their little sister dearly. Even though they were both almost three years older than she was, they still made time to hang out with her. Whatever she wanted to do, whether it be a walk near the border or arts and crafts with the dryads of the forest, they were always down for it. 

They were also cuddle bugs, always hugging and embracing each other near the flames in the amphitheater. Sometimes, they were even known to pile up together in one single bed in the Dionysus cabin as one huge snoring mess.

In all honesty, the trio most likely had the closest cabin bonds than any other cabin in the camp. There was almost never a time where you'd see one of the Dionysus children without the other two trailing close behind. 

So when the Battle of the Labyrinth rolled around, the three children's lives were altered forever. 

Being warriors of Camp Half-Blood, the twins had wanted desperately to protect and defend their camp and its inhabitants with all they had. Meg was only fourteen at the time and she wasn't very skilled with her attack and defense yet, so she and the other younger demigods were asked to stay back at the camp and help the healers and enforce the barrier. 

It had been a scary day. Pollux and Castor had left the camp with a kiss on each cheek for their little sister and a promise to be back later. They'd both given her a quick hug, joined the nearest wave of demigods, and promptly disappeared from the camp. Meg had never felt so alone before.

The Apollo cabin had tried to distract her by giving her small tasks to do while she waited for her kin to return, but no matter what chores she had to do, her mind kept wandering back to her poor brothers. 

She knew that Castor and Pollux were strong, some of the most clever fighters in the camp, but she also knew that the two had been slacking with their training lately and had been more interested in helping the Demeter cabin with the strawberry patch more than anything. What if they got hurt? 

It was a very long day and the battle seemed to draw on forever. Injured demigods were carried in at every second, each with varying degrees of different ailments. Meg had seen everything from a concussion, to gash down the chest, to a severed arm that day and she was beginning to think that nothing could surprise her anymore when the warriors of Camp Half-Blood finally returned home. 

Immediately, Meg had raced over to the entrance despite the warnings of the Apollo cabin and searched for familiar faces among the crowd. 

Katie Gardner limped into camp with her sister, Miranda Gardiner's arm slung over her shoulders. Miranda moaned with pain at every lopsided step the duo took. 

Mark from the Ares cabin strode in, looking very torn and bloody, but no less fierce than he usually did. 

Clarisse La Rue hobbled in with two limp demigods slumped over each shoulder. Meg recognized one as the counselor of the Apollo cabin himself, Lee Fletcher. The other, she could not quite make out as their head was turned the other way. 

How sad... Meg thought sympathetically, her heart aching for the effected cabin. The children of Apollo had always been kind and bright souls and were constantly going out of their ways to help other people. Lee was no exception. Things simply wouldn't be the same without him. Meg couldn't even begin to think about who was going to replace him as the head counselor. 

Meg stretched her neck to see the other demigod. It was hard to make out any distinguishable features on the person in question if you didn't include the fact that they appeared to be male. This person was blood covered. Crimson liquid seemed to be coming from a long gash down the demigod's arm and stomach. Even Clarisse was drenched with the poor boy's blood.

All Meg could make out was a mop of curly blonde hair that seemed quite familiar...

Clarisse shifted the bodies, her expression dark and pained. Chiron trotted over to her, his white flanks patchy and splattered with mud. He exchanged a few quiet murmurs as he inspected the corpses she held. He took Lee in his arms and held him much like an infant, cradling his lolling head. 

Lee almost looked like he was sleeping. His once sparkling blue eyes were closed and his lips were slightly parted. Other than the detail that he appeared to has sustained a major head injury, he looked so peaceful.

Meg shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. 

At this time, a sudden crashing sounded from the barrier and Meg's head immediately turned to face the action, fearing a monster looming over her. There was no monster at all; in fact, it was only three demigods, but Meg still felt the fear as she slowly realized who they were.

Connor and Travis Stoll each had an arm through a pudgy blonde haired boy's arms as they restrained him to the best of their abilities. Even combined, the duo were struggling to keep the other boy contained as he thrashed and screamed. 

"Where is he?! Where is he?!" The blonde shrieked, tugging himself away from the younger Stoll. Connor's eyes widened with surprised dismay and he attempted to gain his control back. It was too late though. The blonde boy was beginning to shove Travis off of him as well. "Let me go! I need to see him!"

Meg's face paled to be as white as a sheet of paper. It was as if all the blood in her body dropped to her feet. Even her heart seemed to have stopped. 

Pollux...

That was Pollux... He was alone... Where was Castor...? 

And suddenly it all clicked. 

A wail escaped Meg's mouth just as Pollux broke free from the Stoll brothers completely. He stumbled over to Clarisse, his eyes wide and wild. Meg made a beeline after him just as she felt someone try to grab her hand. She put on a burst of speed and bolted to Clarisse's other side. The older girl barely had time to process what was going before Meg took in the appearance of the other corpse.

Glassy violet eyes stared at nothing and scarlet blood pooled out of a pair of pale pink lips. This death looked anything but peaceful. 

Castor...

"No!" Meg screamed. She felt Pollux nearly bowl her over as he tried to get to their brother. He shoved Meg out of the way roughly and his younger sister fell to the ground with a thud. Tears streamed down her cheeks and she whimpered, wrapping her arms around Pollux's leg and burying her face into the tattered jeans that adorned it. 

The grieving siblings stayed like that for a very long time as Clarisse held Castor more gently now. Pollux kept mumbling 'no' over and over again as he brushed his fingers though his fallen brother's unruly hair while Meg simply bawled on the ground. 

The camp was silent in this moment. No birds chirped overhead. No cries of a battle being fought or clangs of swords against each other sounded through the air. Even the waves that typically crashed against the beach were completely and utterly quiet. No one said a word.

Suddenly, Meg felt a palm rest on the top of her head. She turned slowly, and her reddened eyes widened at the sight of her father standing behind her. 

Dionysus rarely left the Big House. He was usually playing videos games or watching TV in his office with his stuffed pet leopard, Seymor. However, someone must have alerted him about the death of his son which had been enough to drag him away from his games. His other hand rested on Pollux's back comfortingly as his said purple eyes rested on Castor's frozen expression of pain. 

For yet another long while, the family stood like this until Dionysus removed his hands slowly, almost reluctantly and gently maneuvered his children out of the way. He held out his arms silently, nodding to Castor. Clarisse nodded in response, carefully handing Dionysus's son to his waiting arms. 

That night, the fallen demigods were held a funeral. Their pyres burned in the dark, the flames completely engulfing the poor campers' bodies. Meg could hardly keep it together and Pollux simply could not. He was the one who had lit Castor's pyre and was meant to have recited a speech for his brother, but broke down halfway through. Pollux sobbed and Dionysus wrapped his arms around him, pulling him close as the other half-bloods of camp ducked their heads in respect and grief. 

Meg needed to get away. Nearly tripping over her own feet, she raced away from the funeral. No one seemed to notice her as she ducked between people to escape. She couldn't keep watching the flames flicker, she just couldn't. 

As she finally began to slow down, she panted for breath, feeling tears stinging in her violet eyes. The hot tears threatened to spill over her cheeks and her breathing was shaky. She'd heard plenty of stories about her father causing people to go mad and she'd been informed by her brothers that she could also induce insanity and cure it if she wanted to. She was warned to never use these powers unless she truly had to as they were very dangerous. If she truly had these powers, why couldn't she help even herself.

Feeling like a failure and still mourning the death of her beloved brother, Meg did not hear the light footsteps approaching behind her. Her shoulders shuddered as she finally began to cry. 

"Hey..." 

Meg nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of a husky voice behind her. She felt a gentle hand on her shoulder and turned to face the owner of the hand.

It was dark, very dark now without the fire to glimmer in the night and Meg could not see the person (who appeared to be a boy) very well. She thought she could make out the tiniest bit of blonde hair. 

She felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Perhaps this was all some bad dream or hallucination. Maybe Castor was still alive and had come to tell her that everything was alright.

"Castor...?" She rasped, her voice barely there. 

The boy snapped and a tiny flickering light appeared in his hand, illuminating his face. Meg could see him now. This was not Castor.

Castor was stocky, plump with a rounded face and an almost permanent lazy smile. It was the way that people could tell Pollux and Castor apart. His smile lopped off to the right side while Pollux's was more left aligned. He had curly blonde hair and vibrant violet eyes the color of grapes on a vine. 

This boy did not fit that description. He was scrawny, lean like a cat, and his face was more sculpted than Castor's was. Freckles covered every inch of his sun-kissed skin and he had wavy, sufer-esque hair the color of wheat. His usually sparkling blue eyes were dull and sad looking. Twin tear tracks trailed down each cheek and even the faint smile on his lips seemed to be half-hearted.

Meg recognized this boy. This was Will Solace of the Apollo cabin. He was fifteen years old and the cabins most inept healer. He'd been ordered to stay back with the others during the battle to help with injuries and he'd done just that. He'd been one of the people who'd continuously checked on Meg that say and made sure she had things to do at all times. 

Will was usually a welcome sight, but at the moment, the only people Meg wanted to see were her family members. 

"No... Sorry, Meg..." 

Meg sighed heavily, feeling more tears forming behind her eyelids. She blinked quickly and turned her head. "H-hey, Will..." She murmured, her voice shaking almost as much as she was. 

Will looked at the ground awkwardly, kicking his sandal-clad foot in the dirt. He stared downwards for a very long time before taking a deep breath and looking up at Meg once more. "So... Uh... Dumb question, I know, but... How are you doing?"

The daughter of Dionysus flinched. "N-not... Not good..." She whimpered, wiping under her eyes. 

Will's smile faltered and Meg watched sadly as his bottom lip began to tremble. His eyes grew watery. "Me too..." 

At that moment, Meg remembered that she was not the only one who had lost a brother today. She opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't seem to think of anything to say. "I-I'm so s-sorry..." She whispered, feeling guilty for not considering the other campers who were obviously suffering. She felt so selfish. 

Will trembled, looking a lot less confident and laid back then he usually. He looked so small and scared and Meg hated it. She wanted to help him as he had helped her today. 

Doing the only thing that she knew when it came to comforting others, she threw open her arms and wrapped them around Will. Will immediately reciprocated the hug, his hands brushing up and down Meg's back as he began to cry. He rested his head on her shoulder and shuddered against her as Meg cuddled into his chest. 

The two stood like that for a long time, not saying a word. The only sounds that could be heard were the chirping of crickets and the distant roaring of flames at the funeral. 

Then Will tightened his grip on Meg, moving one of his hands up to her hair and gently brushing his fingers through it. His trembling slowly calmed and his breathing became more steady. In a hoarse voice, he murmured, "It'll be okay... Everything will be okay..." 

And Meg was starting to believe it. 

Nestling into his chest further and simply holding him as he held her, she was already beginning to feel better. 

\------------------

It was very late when the funeral was finally over. With time, Will's older brother (and the new head counselor) Michael Yew went searching for his little brother. He'd allowed the grieving kids a little more time together before suggesting gently that the two go back to their cabins and get a good night's rest. Will had agreed and gave Meg a quiet 'goodbye' before taking Michael's hand and following him to the golden Apollo cabin. 

Now Meg was alone, but she didn't feel so bad. Her heart was still heavy, but she knew what she had to do. 

Walking towards the funeral place, she spotted her brother right away. 

Nearly everyone else had gone home aside from a few satyrs who were helping to clean up. Percy Jackson was gone. Annabeth Chase was gone. The majority of the Apollo cabin was gone. And Dionysus was gone. 

The only demigods left were Pollux and Kayla Knowles from the Apollo cabin. Kayla was trying to coax Pollux away from the charred remains of the pyres, gently tugging on his arm and murmuring things into his ear, but he simply stared through her, his violet eyes dulled and unseeing. His lazy side smile had disappeared and was replaced with a monotonous flat line. 

Kayla caught Meg's eye as the younger child of Dionysus approached. She gave her a questioning, empathetic look before realizing that Meg was in a much better emotional state than Pollux was. Meg nodded her head in a thankful gesture and motioned to the cabins behind her. Kayla nodded in response, giving Pollux one last sad look before dipping away into the shadows. 

"Pollux..." Meg greeted softly. "Pollux, we should go home..." 

Pollux blinked slowly, his eyes becoming a bit more clear as he recognized his little sister. His eyebrows furrowed slightly and he simply stared at Meg silently. 

"Come on, Poll, you've been hear all night..." Meg cajoled, extending her arm out cautiously. "You need to get some sleep..." 

Her older brother hesitated. No doubt the prospect of sleep sounded good to him, but his eyes kept flickering back to the remains of the pyre. He looked upset obviously, but his expression also seemed to hold a lot of guilt behind it. 

Pollux didn't feel guilty for the death of his brother, did he? Meg had heard that Castor was struck down by an enemy demigod while Pollux was fighting all the way across the battle. There was nothing to have been done. 

Or maybe he feels guilty that he survived the battle and Castor didn't... Meg thought, feeling her heart drop to her feet. Oh, Pollux... 

"Pollux, let's go home." Meg stated more firmly this time. 

Pollux wrung his hands falteringly. Again, his eyes darted back to the pyres. "But... But, Castor..." He whined. 

Meg shook her head. She walked closer to Pollux and stared up into his eyes. "We need to go home." 

Her brother lingered for just a second longer before casting one last forlorn look at Castor's ashes. He dipped his head sadly and leaned on Meg for support as the two children of Dionysus trudged home. Once they arrived at their grape-vine covered cabin, the two siblings pushed the door in and flopped onto the nearest bed. 

Meg tangled her limbs through Pollux's and cuddled close to her older brother, breathing in his scent. He smelled of sweat and strongly of the metallic odor of blood (Meg would have to convince him to see the healers tomorrow), but beneath it all, she could still recognize his familiar smell. It was comforting to have at least one sibling yet. 

Pollux's fingers combed through Meg's hair and she couldn't help but think of Will Solace. She tried to focus on Pollux and not the son of Apollo because she knew that her brother needed her more now than ever. 

"Meg...?" Pollux murmured, half-muffled by the pillow he was laying on. 

Meg turned her head to look at Pollux's face. His face was turned to the side and his eyes were barely open. His eyebrows had relaxed and he looked a lot more calm than he had whilst at the funeral. In fact, he looked to be almost asleep. "Yes?" 

Pollux swallowed his spit before speaking up again. "Promise me you'll never... Never leave me, okay? I can't lose both of you... I just can't..." 

The daughter of Dionysus trembled just the tiniest bit as she was reminded of their dearly departed brother once again. She quickly composed herself though; she had to be strong for Pollux. For Will. For everyone. 

"I'm not going anywhere, Poll..." 

And the faintest of relieved smiles that Meg had ever seen grazed across Pollux's pale lips. 

"Good... Thank you..." 

And with that, Pollux's eyes closed and the two siblings drifted off to sleep.

\--------------

The next day, Meg convinced her brother to see the healers bright and early. He had sustained a cut on his forehead and side and neither of them had been cleaned nor dressed. (In fact, the wounds seemed to keep reopening, staining the bed they'd slept on with splashes of wine-red. Meg didn't mind though. She could always clean them off or replace them.)

Pollux had agreed to go to the Apollo cabin, but refused to eat, shower, or change. This worried Meg to no end, but she simply agreed to his wishes and helped him to the infirmary. A lot of demigods who had obviously spent the night there were still lying on the white sheets of the beds inside and the Apollo children were working quickly and efficiently. 

Meg was impressed. Lee Fletcher had been their head counselor, their oldest brother, and a good friends to many, yet the cabin was putting on a collective brave face so they could work their hardest. Meg had nothing but respect for them.

"Meg! Good morning!" 

Meg felt a spike of energy shoot down her spine at the sound of Will Solace's cheerful voice. He sounded tired and probably hadn't gotten any sleep, but nonetheless, he was acting as the camp sunshine as per usual. Nearly every injured demigod he waved to, smiled and attempted to wave back as he made his way over to the Dionysus children.

"Good morning, Will..." Meg greeted quietly. Pollux said nothing, looking very uncomfortable as he took in the rugged appearances of his camp-mates. His hand brushed over his wounded side absentmindedly. 

Will took in Meg's appearance and then looked to Pollux and frowned sympathetically. His blue eyes flickered back to meet Meg's. In a more serious and low tone, Will spoke,"How are you guys doing?"

The daughter of Dionysus in question hesitated before responding. "I'm... Alright..." She gestured to Pollux subtly and shook her head from side to side. 

Pollux seemed not to notice, digging his fingers into the cut on his side and wincing. 

Will immediately clapped his hands together, throwing on a welcoming doctor sort of vibe and gently reaching out to touch Pollux's arm. Pollux tensed visibly at the touch and looked to Meg instinctively before spotting Will. "Hey there, Pollux. I didn't see you at the infirmary at all yesterday, so why don't we have a look at you, yeah?" 

The son of Dionysus looked to Meg again before looking at his side with a frown. His expression darkened and he looked almost hostile. "I don't need your help," he spat. "I'm fine." 

Meg gave Pollux a surprised look before turning to Will with an apologetic look. Will didn't seem affected by Pollux's behavior in the slightest. 

"Right, and I don't doubt that, but let's just give you a check up anyways, alright?" He looked around from side to side suspiciously before leaning closer to Pollux and cupping a hand around his mouth. "Wouldn't want to worry Meg..." He suggested gently. 

Pollux gave Meg an unsure (and slightly concerned) look before nodding. 

"Good. If you could, please go over and sit on that bed over there for me?" Will motioned over to a spare bed in the corner of the infirmary. It was completely isolated, away from the other beds and unused. "That one there. I'll be with you in a second." 

Again, Pollux nodded. He brushed his fingers over Meg's gently and gave her what she guessed was supposed to be a comforting smile like 'Don't worry about me. I'm fine, see'. 

Meg smiled in return, though she wasn't sure it was all that convincing. 

Pollux limped over to the solitary bed, ignoring the healers who offered to help him over. When he finally reached the bed and sat down, staring at the posters on the wall, Will turned back to Meg. 

"How's he been responding to all of this?" He asked softly, his eyes searching Meg's. It looked as if he was trying to find any sign that Meg was not doing well so he could help her. "Not good, I know, but just... Give me a general idea if you can." 

Meg shrugged despondently, crossing her arms and looking at the floor. "I-I dunno... I mean he's depressed obviously and he clearly won't talk to anyone but me. I got him to sleep last night, but he won't eat or wash himself off. At first, he didn't even want to set foot here either. I'm just... Really worried about him. I'm sad about Castor too, really sad, and I miss him, but I know that I need to keep taking care of myself." 

"And you're right about that. The last thing the camp needs right now is you starving yourself to death or not bathing for months." Will replied bluntly, before covering his mouth. "Sorry, I just mean that no one would be better off without you or Pollux when we just lost Castor and... Lee... What I'm saying is we don't need anymore unnecessary deaths." 

The daughter of Dionysus nodded. "I understand, Will. I just don't know how to help him..."

Will looked more comfortable with this subject (probably because he was currently going through the same thing). "It seems like you've been doing a good job so far. This is only the day after, so we can't expect either of you two to be completely healed yet. You guys are just going through different stages of grief right now. It seems like you're getting very close to acceptance while Pollux is somewhere between anger and depression. It's understandable. There's nothing quite like the bond between twins. You just have to give it some time."

Meg's gaze slowly wavered over to Pollux who sat alone, his arms around his knees. He looked so small and sad and Meg fought the urge to go and give him a hug. "What if I can't keep doing it?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper. "What if I fail him?" 

The blonde Apollo camper shook his head. "No, no, Meg, don't think like that. You're not alone in this, I promise. Though you'll be the main light in Pollux's life from now on, you can bet that at any given time, anyone in this camp will be willing to help you out." His hand stretched up to the back of his head and he scratched at his hair shyly. "And you can bet I'll always be there if you need me." 

He's right, Meg thought, looking around the room. I can't name a single person in the infirmary right now that wouldn't help Pollux if he asked. 

Meg smiled, resting a hand gently on Will's shoulder. He blushed slightly, but didn't move away. "Thank you, Will." She murmured. 

And all Will could do was smile... This time, for real.

\-----------------------------------------------------------

Almost all of the injured demigods had healed and were back to regular camp routine. Michael Yew was proving to be just as strong of a leader as Lee Fletcher was. The entire camp was preparing for another battle with Kronos's army and were training more than ever. 

Even Pollux was back to training, his attacks becoming stronger and stronger. 

Pollux was still not over Castor, nor would he be for a long time, but he was completely hellbent on avenging his fallen brother in the next war. Meg cautioned him to be careful and not overdo it, but Pollux reassured her that he could do it. 

The day of the second Titan War rolled around and Meg was asked once again to stay back at camp. Pollux pleaded and pleaded to help fight and was eventually given his wish as Clarisse caved. The demigods were off and Meg could only hope that they would be okay. 

Meg had learned her lesson from the first battle. She wouldn't be in the way this time. She worked just as hard as any of the Apollo campers to prepare for the injured demigods and even assisted with battle plans. She didn't worry about Pollux because she knew he was a formidable fighter and with all the rage he held for Castor's death, he wouldn't let himself get killed. 

This battle was long, longer than the Battle of the Labyrinth and as the hours ticked by, it was worrying how hardly any demigods were rushed in. Meg hoped it was because the camp was winning. 

Eventually, the fight ended and the camp flooded home. There were sixteen confirmed deaths from Camp Half-Blood, but as a Hunter of Artemis recited the names of the fallen, Meg's eyes widened with joy. Pollux stumbled through the barrier and towards the Apollo cabin. 

He was alive.

Meg raced over to him, forgetting to be a healer for just one second as she threw her arms around her brother. He moaned slightly with pain, but smiled down at her tiredly regardless. His arm was in a sling and his lip was busted, but he was alive and that was all that mattered.

"Good to see you two, Meggy," Pollux sighed. His violet eyes sparked with the adrenaline of a battle won. "I avenged him, Meg. I made those traitors pay for what they did." 

Meg nodded, pressing her face against her older brother's chest. 

"No!" 

The two Dionysus children broke apart and stood at ready at the sound of wailing coming from someone in the camp. Pollux's uninjured name fingered over the sword in his belt loop. Meg's searching gaze found the source of the noise. 

Will Solace looked absolutely agonized. The blonde boy stood in front of the Hunter who had the death list and Chiron himself. Tears were streaming down Will's face and he seemed to be arguing with Chiron back and forth. 

Meg looked to her brother whose gaze darkened. 

"Michael Yew died today." Pollux muttered. "Bridge collapsed. Still haven't found his body..." 

Meg's eyes widened. This was the second Apollo counselor to have died in the past few weeks. Who would be their counselor now? She gave Pollux a pleading look and looking longingly over at Will. Pollux nodded and let his sister go.

The daughter of Dionysus raced over to Will, taking in his horrified look. He no longer looked to be in pain. Instead, he looked too be terrified. 

"Will, are you okay?" She asked, feeling stupid. 

Of course he's not, she thought irritably. 

Will turned to Meg and she was brought back to the fateful day when they'd bought lost a brother. Will looked so much younger now, but, Meg realized, he was now the oldest of the cabin. That meant that he-

"Will... Are you the new counselor?" 

The Apollo camper shuddered as if the words brought a cold breeze over him. "I-I can't do it... I can't. I'm not Lee. I'm not Michael. I'm not Apollo. I'm a healer not a leader-"

And Meg did what she was good at; she hugged Will close to her and patted his back.

"Will, you'll be the perfect counselor. Just give it some time. Michael and Lee would be proud if they could see you now. You need to be strong." She nuzzled his cheek gently, pulling away with an afterthought and brushing the tears from his cheeks. "And I'll be here for you every step of the way, okay? I know you can do it." 

Will looked like he had an argument forming, but he simply let out a shuddery sigh. Dipping his head with a sad smile, he looked at the ground near Meg. "I'll try my hardest..." 

Meg's voice was wispy and seemed to follow the wind that whisked past her face, "I know you will..." 

\----------------------

Months went by and slowly, very slowly, everyone was beginning to heal. 

The Dionysus cabin had been refurbished to help with the healing process and Jake Mason from the Hephaestus cabin built a small replica of Castor to put in place for his bed. 

Statues and monuments were erected around the camp to respect the heroes of the second Titan War. Cabins were built for minor gods and goddesses and slowly, their children moved into camp as well. 

The Hephaestus, Aphrodite, and Apollo cabins all had new head counselors; Jake Mason, Drew Tanaka, and, of course, Will Solace. 

Will and Meg had grown closer over this period of healing. Meg went to Will whenever Pollux was worse and Will went to Meg whenever his responsibilities of being a counselor got to be too much. The duo spent a lot of time together out on the lake or in the forest and together, they were the most experienced healers in the camp.

They were the best of friends and everyone knew it. If Meg said she was going out, Pollux would lazily respond with 'Say hi to Will for me' without even being told who she was going with. Whenever Meg would visit the infirmary or Apollo cabin, the half-bloods would immediately direct her to their oldest brother with no questions asked. Even Chiron would allow them to sit together at the fire or in the pavilion if they want despite the 'stick to your cabin' rule. 

Honestly, it was a wonder that they weren't dating. 

Well, Meg wished they were. 

Over time, Meg's feelings grew stronger than simply 'friend love' or 'family love'. This was full fledged 'love love' and she'd never felt more shy in her life. 

Every little touch from Will's warm and gentle hands, every words spoken with that smooth voice of his, and every vibrant smile he sent her way whenever she passed him by was enough to get those butterflies in her stomach fluttering. She'd grown her hair out a bit longer just to hide the constant blush that dusted her cheeks and it was becoming harder and harder to hide her feelings.

A part of her really wanted to just flat out tell him. To just be like 'Hey! I love you, you dork!', but another part of her would immediately reprimand her with 'Absolutely not, you lovesick pup!' It was a constant fight within her and even Pollux was annoyed by her reluctance. 

"You've got to tell him sometime, Meggy... He'll never know unless you do." He drawled lazily, his head hanging off the top bunk, looking at Meg accusingly with narrow plum-colored eyes. "Or maybe I should at my next check-up...?"

"No!" Meg squeaked, her face becoming as red as a cherry tomato.

Pollux rolled his eyes, sending Meg a fond smile, "I'm only teasing, but seriously. You need to tell him soon."

Meg sighed gustily, "I know, I know..."

"Well then, promise me. Promise you will," Pollux stated seriously. His voice suggested that this was not sometime to be negotiated. 

Meg sighed once again, this time casting a playful look at Pollux. "Ugh, I promise I will. You are such a pest." 

Pollux cocked an eyebrow, but he returned the playful expression, "Don't forget who's in charge here, kiddo. Now don't you have some training to do today? I overheard Mark saying Clarisse wanted to get some of your attack skills some improvement."

His sister jumped to her feet with a start. "You're right! I totally spaced!" 

"Thinking about Will..." Pollux purred and Meg poked his nose with a huff.

"Oh, hush up. I'll see you later, Poll. Don't sleep in too much longer or I'm going to start calling you Clovis Jr." 

Pollux gagged with mock-disgust. "The horror! Don't worry, I have a canoeing session with Damien soon so I'll be getting up. See you, Meggy." 

Meg sent her lazy brother one last wave and then ducked out of the cabin.

\------------------------

"Owww!" Meg cried from the ground. Clarisse had shoved her with her shield roughly and Meg had fallen down. Her right arm had twisted beneath her awkwardly and a nasty snap had filled the air. 

It was definitely broken.

"Oh shoot, you okay there, Meg?" Clarisse asked, sounding a bit more guilty. She;d always shown more restraint with the younger campers and it seemed like she'd gotten a bit took excited this time. The Dionysus campers were always a good fight and forces to be reckoned with. 

Meg nodded though it quickly morphed into a shake of her head instead as the pain grew more strong. She whimpered as she tried to move her arm, but it simply would not bend. In fact, the more she tried, the more it hurt. "Okay, no, I'm not... I think I broke my arm." 

Clarisse strode over, extending an arm and taking Meg by her good one to help her to her feet. Meg winced as her broken arm flopped to her side uselessly. She immediately took her hand from Clarisse's and cradled her broken arm. 

"You should go to the infirmary. You're gonna need lots of ambrosia..." Clarisse muttered, scratching the back of her head guiltily. "Sorry about that..." 

Meg tried to look like it wasn't all that painful. She gave Clarisse a wavering smile as she began to walk towards the Apollo cabin. "It's all good. Thank you for your help though." 

The daughter of Dionysus scurried out of the arena and hurried to the infirmary. When she finally got there, she shouldered her way inside and looked for the nearest Apollo child. Austin Lake appeared to be the only one there. When he saw Meg's twisted arm, his eyes widened. 

"I'll be right back," He said before ducking to the 'doctor' half of the infirmary (aka, the actual Apollo cabin). 

That left Meg alone. With a sigh, she walked over to an empty bed, sitting down and waiting for Austin to return. When she finally heard the door swing open once again, she was almost surprised to see Will instead. 

Will's face was pale and sweat was dripping down his forehead. He had a first aid kit in his arms and he darted over to Meg with no hesitation at all. He immediately began to inspect Meg's arm, being careful not to cause her any discomfort. "What happened?"

Meg tried to keep her pained expressions from showing through. Even though Will was being very gentle, it still hurt a little bit. "Clarisse and I got into a little too heated of a battle. I fell on it wrong." 

The blonde boy glared at Meg's broken arm as if picturing Clarisse hurting his best friend. He said nothing though and began to treat her arm. He set her arm and put it into a sling before racing across the room and returning with some nectar in a glass. 

"Drink up, but not too much," Will advised, making sure Meg's arm was all right to go. "The nectar should kick in pretty quickly and your arm won't hurt as much."

Meg nodded, taking his word and trusting him. She took a few quick sips of the nectar before handing the cup back to Will. She licked her lips; nectar had always tasted like fruit punch to her.

Almost immediately, a tingling sensation filled her broken arm and, as gross as it was, she felt the bones beginning to repair themselves. The pain faded to a dull aching and Meg felt her eyelids grow heavy.

"Thank you, Will. That really helped," Meg murmured, laying back against the soft bed beneath her. "I think I'm just gonna... Gonna take a nap." Her eyes flickered shut. 

"Alright... Good night, Meg..." Will whispered to her. 

And darkness overtook her vision.

\---------------

Meg didn't really dream of anything. She was resting more than anything she supposed. After a few minutes, she woke up, but didn't open her eyes. She hardly processed that she was awake at all. She was going to sit up and stretch when she felt something warm press against her forehead. 

The daughter of Dionysus had felt this feeling before. 

She'd been kissed. 

Castor and Pollux used to take turns tucking the cabin in the for the night and they'd each kiss their siblings on the cheek before they covered them up with their blankets. Pollux still continued this tradition and now even Meg would tuck Pollux in with a kiss from time to time, but Pollux wasn't here. 

Her brother was on that canoe date or still lazing in bed at home. There was no way he'd heard about her injury and decided to visit her.

So who had kissed her forehead...?

"Oh, jeez, Meg, you're so cute... I love you, you know."

At this, Meg sat up, nearly hitting Will in the chin with her head. The Apollo camper, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, looming over her, straightened up, his eyes wide with surprise. Meg watched as pink blush completely covered his freckled cheeks. 

"M-Meg, you're awake?! H-how much of that did you-" 

But Meg was bursting with joy. This was her chance and Pollux was wring her neck if she didn't take it. It was now or never. 

"I love you too, Will!"

Meg didn't think it was possible, but Will's eyes grew even wider. She giggled slightly at his expression as her face heated up with embarrassment. 

She'd finally told her crush that she loved him. 

And he loved her back.

"R-really?" Will asked, looking like he was the one who had just been dreaming.

"Of course, you dorky ray of sunshine," Meg laughed softly. 

Will smiled, slowly accepting the fact that his crush truly did like him back. "Well, in that case, I guess i can finally do this." 

With that, Will cupped Meg's cheek, leaned forward, and pressed his soft lips against Meg's. 

Meg felt as if the butterflies in her stomach had doubled, no, tripled, and she nearly fell off of the bed as she kissed Will back.

It was perfect. Will was a gentle kisser as if he were shy and Meg felt like a treasure or a princess of some sort. As she felt Will's lips against her own and his hand against her face, she couldn't help it. 

For the first time in a long time, she felt genuinely happy. 

And she felt herself smile against her best friend's kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I went overboard on this one, but I couldn't help it. I love Dionysus kids and I love Will <3


	6. Sadie Nelson x Percy Jackson 'Wake Me When You Love Me'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sadie Nelson has always felt threatened by the way that Annabeth Chase has her finger around Percy Jackson's heart. Sadie's loved him since the day they met, yet she can't seem to drop a big enough hint to make him hers. When something goes terribly wrong, and Sadie won't wake up from a deep sleep, could this be the one thing to get Percy to crack?

'Wake Me When You Love Me'

(This story was a request by ShriekerGirl on Quotev. Sadie is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!) 

It wasn't always easy being the daughter of one of The Big Three: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades. You were given way more attention then you were probably comfortable, and it always seemed like people expected you to be a part of some huge quest or something. Sadie Nelson was no exception. 

Sadie Nelson was a very pretty young girl. At age sixteen, she was currently (technically) the youngest daughter of Zeus. She had an older sister named, Thalia Grace who had joined the Hunters of Artemis a few years back. She was immortal unless struck down in battle, and there fore never truly aged. Thalia had spiky black hair and electric blue eyes that seemed to spark with the power of Zeus himself. She was intimidating and held a powerful presence to her. She looked nothing like Sadie. 

Sadie's appearance better matched her technical Roman half brother, Jason Grace. He resided in Camp Jupiter more often than Camp Half-Blood, but whenever he frequented the camp, you could definitely see some sort of sibling resemblance between the two. 

Jason had short, blonde hair, striking blue eyes that were framed by a pair of wire glasses, and a cut on his upper lip from trying to eat a stapler when he was young. Though Sadie was closer in relation with Thalia, she always saw Jason as more of her sibling. 

Sadie had long, wavy hair the color of the sand along the beaches at Camp Half-Blood. Her eyes were not blue surprisingly, but were instead the same shade of an emerald. Constellations of freckles dusted her doll-like face, making her all the more adorable. It seemed like she was always smiling naturally, and because of all of this, many people mistook her for a daughter of Apollo.

She was not to be mistaken though; she was a Zeus child through and through. From the shocks she often gave people who touched her, to the way her eyes sparkled when lightning struck the earth, there was never any doubt on her true parentage. 

However, she wasn't full of herself, or high and mighty like most children of The Big Three were often thought to be. In fact, Sadie sometimes wished she had a more common godly parent like Hermes or Apollo. Being a child of The Big Three often got you an audience and, at times, a ad reputation. This did not stop Sadie from being herself though.

Sadie was a very kind and doggedly loyal person. In all honesty, her loyalty could be what got her into trouble at times. She'd defend her loved ones with all of her heart, even if they were the ones in the wrong. Sadie could become mean or rude if someone were to ever wrong her friend or family, and trust me, you did not want to get on her bad side.

She was surprisingly brave considering her usually shy nature towards others. She wasn't afraid to stand up for what she thought was right, but sometimes the thought of even the slightest of human interaction could be enough to make her uneasy. She was known to overthink and panic at times, but the one time she could focus all of her energy on something was when she was playing sports. 

The daughter of Zeus was VERY athletic and could often be found on the volleyball court or playing softball with some of the nymphs near the forest. She wasn't overly competitive, but participating in the sports was what was fun to her. 

In many ways, she was one of the most normal not-normal people that resided in Camp Half-Blood which was why she had attracted the attention of none other than Percy Jackson himself. Percy Jackson found Sadie extremely intriguing and often bartered to have her on his team in Capture the Flag. He admired her loyalty and drive and thus enjoyed her company thoroughly. The two could often be found walking along the beach, swimming in the shallows, and singing together at the campfire.

Percy was a very friendly and affectionate guy; Sadie could almost always find herself wrapped in his arms for a ear hug, or holding hands with him as they walked to training together. It was nothing out of the ordinary to Percy; he was a friendly guy. But to Sadie, it meant the world. 

The truth was, Sadie had fallen head of heels for this son of Poseidon. It had started out merely as a puppy-dog crush considering he was one of the only boys to have shown her affection besides Jason. She'd follow him around like a tag-a-long and often try to squeeze in at his table during eating periods. After awhile though, she realized it was a genuine, in love crush. 

When she was sleeping, she'd dream about going on a beach date with him, or stargazing underneath the night sky with him. When she was training with him, she couldn't help, but notice his well-muscled physique. When they engaged in friendly conversations, Sadie would get lost in though sea green eyes of his. 

She had it bad.

The thing was, whenever Sadie flirted with Percy, or dropped a hint, he never seemed taken aback. Maybe it was because he wasn't catching on, or maybe it was because he liked her back; whatever the reason was, Sadie couldn't figure it out. All she knew was that it was getting worse, and if she didn't act fast, Annabeth Chase was going to snatch him up from right under her nose. 

Annabeth had been one of Percy's first friends when he'd first arrived at Camp Half-Blood. They'd gotten together off and on, but it seemed like after about a week, it would be over again. Whenever this happened, Sadie was always there to help Percy cheer up. It never helped though for it seemed like just a couple of days later, the two would be back together again, and Sadie was hung out to dry.

It was painful, physically, mentally, and most of all, emotionally. Sometimes Sadie had no idea how she kept going when it seemed like she'd never get the boy of her dreams. The hurt feeling in her heart seemed to grow and grow until it was hard for her to function. 

She was sleeping more lately, yet she'd wake up more tired than before. She hadn't been eating as much lately, and she was lacking in the training department. Everyone was noticing it. She'd be all sad and glum until Percy would walk over then she would turn into a bubbly little ball of sunshine. As soon as Percy left though, Sadie was back to being depressed and tired. 

Eventually, someone Iris-messaged Jason at Camp Jupiter to alert him that his sister wasn't doing well lately. He'd responded that things were extremely busy in Camp Jupiter lately and would visit as soon as he could. 

This did not sit well with Sadie.

Now she felt extremely lonely; like she couldn't talk to anyone about what was truly affecting her. She felt like she was surrounded by a dark cloud named, Annabeth Chase and, she simply couldn't escape it. 

One day, it seemed to grow too much.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Annabeth, have you seen Sadie anywhere? I don't think I've seen her around camp at all today, and it's starting to worry me a little. She's usually up and at 'em as soon as the sun comes out, and she's never been the lazy type," Percy stated, his voice deep with concern. His sea green eyes trailed across the pavilion as he twirled his fork through the spaghetti on the plate beneath him absent-mindedly. 

The blonde girl to his side snorted, crossing her arms and giving Percy a look that didn't look all too happy. She tapped her foot irritably as she answered, "I don't know where she is, nor do I understand why you're so worried about her. She's not your girlfriend." 

Percy rubbed his hand across Annabeth's shoulders apologetically, feeling a small amount of guilt that was outweighed by worry, "Sorry, Annabeth, but I just... She's my friend, and I'm worried about her. Is that so wrong?" 

Annabeth's eyebrows furrowed angrily, and she popped a piece of garlic bread into her mouth. She chewed grumpily for a long while before swallowed and replying with a growl, "You know, for your fatal flaw being that you're too loyal, I sometimes wonder if that's not true."

The son of the sea god shook his head, removing his hand from his girlfriend's shoulder and standing up from the table. "I can't deal with this right now, Annabeth. I'm going to go check on her."

Percy's girlfriend huffed loudly, her arms digging even further into her chest. Percy ignored her petty behavior, searching the pavilion one last time before beginning the trek to the Zeus cabin. It was easy to find with it's white marble exterior, huge pillars, and rolling thunder ambiance. It was also the largest cabin in camp which still impressed (and intimidated) Percy to this day.

"Hey, Sadie, you in there?" Percy called, knocking on the large, white door to the cabin. He tried to peer in through the peephole at the top, but couldn't make out much from the darkness of the interior. 

This was new. Sadie usually always had the heavy curtains thrown back and the lights on inside. Percy was pretty sure that Sadie even had a nightlight. There was always some sort of light source. Not today though. 

"Sadie, I'm not kidding. If you're in there, open up. I'm starting to get worried about you," Percy called, his cheek pressed against the door as he desperately listened for some type of noise to prove that his Zeus friend was indeed inside.

There was no reply.

"That's it, I'm coming in," Percy growled. If this was some sort of sick joke, he didn't find it very funny. Twisting the doorknob and pressing against the door itself to enter the building, Percy stepped inside. Instantly, his searching eyes found a dark lump laying down in one of the only beds inside. He felt relief seep into his chest as he walked over to the sleeping Sadie. 

It had been a false alarm after all; she had just been sleeping, that was all. Everyone in camp could be lazy sometimes and get away with it. Percy knew he shouldn't have gotten so worked up. 

"Sadie, you scared me for a second. Come on, get up, and let's go get you some late breakfast... Or brunch? Whatever," Percy strode over to Sadie's bed, placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling down at her. Sadie did not stir.

Suddenly, things were starting to make Percy think, causing his brow to furrow. Why was Sadie's breathing so deep? It was almost hard to tell that she was breathing at all. Add that to the fact that the lights were all off, and no one seemed to have been in or out of this cabin all day...

"Sadie, wake up," Percy stated, more force to his voice. He shook Sadie gently, sitting down beside her and peering at her face. Her eyes were closed, and her lips were gently parted. Her long, blonde hair flowed across her pillows and around her face gracefully. She looked completely blissful... But something about it... It wasn't natural.

Again, Sadie did not stir.

"Sadie, come on," Percy tried again, his fingers feeling for her pulse. He felt the blood drain from his face as the unusually slow heartbeat met his touch. It was way too slow to be healthy. Sadie was in danger.

Immediately, Percy wrapped his arms around Sadie's sleeping form, hoisting her up into his arms. Cradling the daughter of Zeus's neck, Percy raced out of the cabin. 

Oh gods, oh gods, oh gods, he thought worriedly. Who do I got to? The Apollo cabin? No, they've never dealt with something like this before. Grover? No, he's busy with the council. Annabeth? She'll kill me. Think Jackson! Who is good with sleep...?

All of a sudden, it came to him.

"Clovis!" Percy shouted out loud. "Clovis! Clovis, where are you?!" 

Half of the camp was staring at Percy with wide eyes, but he didn't care. Not seeing Clovis among the crowd or hearing any type of response, Percy rocketed towards Cabin Fifteen as fast as his lanky legs would carry him. Sadie's face was pressed against his chest, and he could feel her deep breaths. 

Percy shouldered the almost always open Hypnos cabin door, and his wild eyes darted around the murky inside for the head counselor. He blinked away the heavy feeling of sleep that the Hypnos cabin often dropped upon people, knowing that if he fell asleep now, Sadie could stop breathing all together. 

"Clovis!" 

"Yeah, yeah, I'm here. Jeez, Percy, I could hear you all the way across the camp," Towards the center of the cabin the head counselor, Clovis was reclining in a large leather chair. He stretched with a yawn, a woven blanket slipping off of his shoulders, "You woke me up, and I was having such a nice dream too..."

Percy's eyes glimmered with relief as he barreled over to the sleepy counselor, "Clovis, man, you have to help me!"

Clovis stood up slowly with another powerful yawn, "What do you-"

Percy extended Sadie away from his chest reluctantly, and Clovis's crystal blue eyes instantly darkened. 

"Bring her over to a bed, and let me see her," Clovis ordered, motioning to a nearby bed. Percy walked over, setting Sadie down gently so as not to injure her somehow. Clovis leaned over her and felt her forehead, his expression not reassuring Percy in the least. It was as if Clovis could sense how uncomfortable Percy felt watching as he turned to him with a solemn nod, "Go tell someone to alert Jason about this."

Percy nodded, racing back over to the door. Kayla Knowles was walking by with her bow in her arms. "Kayla! Kayla, I need a favor," He waved his arms to get her attention. 

Kayla jumped at the sudden burst of noise and movement, turning to Percy with wide eyes and hustling over. She could sense that something was wrong, and Percy never asked for help unless he truly believed he needed it. "Yes, Percy?" 

The son of the sea god swallowed his spit, trying compose himself enough to form proper sentences, "Kayla, something is wrong with Sadie. Very wrong. I want you to get a message through to Jason." 

Kayla nodded determinedly, maneuvering her bow over her back and sprinting to the Iris cabin. Cabin fourteen was the headquarter for all messaging needs anymore, pretty much replacing the Hermes cabin with reliability. It was one cabin away from the Hypnos cabin and Percy mentally face-palmed that he didn't just go there himself. He then reminded himself that if he were making an Iris-message to Jason, he'd be missing whatever was going on with Sadie. He couldn't afford to make that mistake. 

Percy returned to the Hypnos cabin, pushing past the now more-closed door and searching for his friends. Sadie was still where he had left her, and Clovis was sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. His hand was feeling her forehead gently as the sound of fire crackling and Lethe water plinking into a bowl filled the cabin. 

Steeling himself for whatever horrible prognosis he was about to hear, Percy slowly walked over to the bed. He could feel sweat dripping down his forehead. As he made his way over, the door was slammed open. 

"I told Jason," Kayla stated, sounding just as worried as Percy felt. "He said that he's about halfway to camp at the moment and should be here as soon as he can."

A somewhat relieved sigh escaped Percy's lips, and he dipped his head, "Thank you, Kayla," Maybe things would be easier once Jason got here.

Kayla lingered at the door for a few moments more, chewing her bottom lip and looking conflicted, "Ah, um, sh-should I go tell Will or...?"

Clovis, who had been quiet thus far, shook his head insistently, "Absolutely not. The Apollo cabin deals with ailments and illnesses that can be treated with medicine. This is relating to sleep. It's my job to help her, and I'll do just that." 

Percy shrugged nervously as Kayla, and she reluctantly wandered away. He'd never seen the Hypnos counselor so focused before. He knew Clovis was a good guy and knew what he was doing, but he just wasn't sure if he trusted him enough to help his friend. Clovis was her only chance though, so Percy couldn't argue with him.

Walking over to the bed, Percy searched Clovis's eyes. They were sleepy as per usual, but there was a hint of confusion and strange determination as well. 

"S-so," Percy gulped before trying to speak again. "H-how is she...?"

Clovis's brows furrowed with thought and as he replied, his eyes never left Sadie's blissful face, "She's fallen under some sort of a sleeping spell, one that I've never seen before. I'm thinking that the only way we'll be able to wake her up is from the inside of her dream. Otherwise, if we don't act soon enough, her body will begin to shut down, and it's game over..." 

Percy's sea green eyes widened with horror, and he grabbed Clovis's shoulders, forcing the counselor to look at him, "Well, go on then! What are you waiting for?!" 

Clovis seemed surprised at the sudden contact, his usually tired expression changing to one of almost awe. It seemed that he had doubted how much Percy truly cared about his friend. Slowly regaining his usually calm and collected composure, (but monitoring Percy's facial expressions closely) he carefully replied, "The procedure is very delicate and, without the right handling, could lead to other issues, or an even quicker death. Usually, I'd be confident enough in my own abilities that I'd be willing to go into her dream myself and take care of things, but her mind seems to be rather blocked off. That's not a problem to me as I could just as easily bring down the barrier and enter from there, but I think it would be easier for Sadie to handle if it were someone that she knows and cares about dearly doing it," Clovis shrugged. "She doesn't know me, and it might upset her if I was there. Who knows what she's dreaming about right now."

Suddenly, there was a crash as the heavy, wooden door was flung open once again. This time, a tall, lanky blonde boy with sky blue eyes and a Roman Camp Jupiter tattoo on his forearm. Jason had arrived.

Panting, Jason immediately spotted Percy and Clovis, racing over with his eyes full of brotherly worry, "I heard everything," He huffed for breath. "Let me do it." 

Percy shook his head adamantly. "No way, dude; not without me!"

Clovis, who seemed to still be processing Jason's sudden arrival, rubbed his temples slowly. He looked very tired, but was starving off the sleep. Even someone as sleepy as him could understand how vital it was for him to stay awake right now. 

The head counselor looked thoughtful, but conflicted. "I don't know if two people would be safe..." He gave the subject a bit more thought before seemingly giving up as he realized that neither boy would be backing down anytime soon. 

Both Percy and Jason were giving him puppy-dog looks, and, luckily for them, Clovis was quite the softy. 

"Fine, fine," Clovis sighed, caving. "I guess two is safer than no one at all. You shouldn't have to worry too much. I'll be guiding you the whole time, okay?"

Percy tilted his head curiously, his grey streak of hair falling into his eyes, "How?"

Clovis smirked and tapped his head, "Telepathy. Now come on, lay down, and make sure you're touching Sadie somehow. I'll put you both to sleep and transfer you to her dreamworld." 

Jason and Percy nodded as Clovis stood up from the bed, making room for them to lay down. Jason, being Sadie's brother, demanded to be the closest to her. He laid down by her side and rested a hand on her shoulder. Percy kneeled down near Sadie's face and locked his fingers through hers. 

The son of Hypnos stood beside the bed, placed a gentle touch on both of the boys, and the world went black.

\------------------------------------------------

Percy opened his eyes to see pastel clouds floating over his head in a beautiful, blue sky. Pale rays of sunlight shined down on his face, and the grass beneath his feet was crisp and bright. To his right, Jason stood blinking quickly. 

It had worked. 

'Hello? Can you hear me?' Clovis's voice cut through the blissful silence, and Percy let out a yelp. It was almost as if the head counselor was in his head. 

"Y-yeah," Percy said out loud, still unsure how this whole 'telepathy' thing worked. It was much different than the empathy link he had once had with his friend, Grover.

At the same time, Jason nodded erratically. Percy guessed that Clovis could somehow communicate with both of them at the same time. Hypnos kids were weird.

'Good,' Clovis stated. 'Now I'm going to need you to follow my directions. I think I've located Sadie.'

Percy nodded in acknowledgement, figuring that Clovis could somehow see him. 

"Alright, now walk forward until you see a replica of the Poseidon cabin, then turn right..."

The boys did as they were told, becoming mesmerized in the things they were walking past. Old memories of Camp Half-Blood were playing out like mini movies everywhere. There was a clip of Sadie picking strawberries with Katie Gardner... Followed by a clip of Sadie engaging in a humongous strawberry that Percy had started. 

The next memory was of a game of volleyball. Sadie spiked the ball, hitting Percy squarely in the face. Sadie covered her mouth and cross the net to apologize. Percy, though his nose was bleeding profusely, smiled and rustled her hair. 'No problem at all. You've got a strong spike!' Sadie blushed and grinned, slugging Percy's shoulder embarrassedly. 'Sh-shut up!'

Yet another memory played nearby, this time of a campfire underneath the night sky. Stars sparkled overhead as the demigods hummed and sang. It was a bit chilly, and Sadie was shivering on the log where she sat. Percy wrapped an arm around her and cuddled her close much to Annabeth's dismay. Sadie didn't care though; she was warm.

'Sadie's subconscious must have conjured these up,' Clovis mused. 

"Almost all of them include Percy somehow," Jason pointed out, eyeing Percy suspiciously. 

Percy blushed, his face heating up, "Yeah, that's a pretty weird coincidence..." 

Clovis snorted, and Percy made a mental note to punch him later before remembering that Clovis could probably read his mind right now if he wanted to. He admonished to think about killing him later out of Hypnos children earshot. 

After passing the Poseidon cabin and turned right, the boys walked on and on past millions of memories until Clovis finally made himself heard once more. 

'There.'

Percy's gaze shifted forward slowly, and he smiled to himself as he spotted Sadie. She was swinging on a tree-swing and humming to herself as she giggled. She was clearly having the time of her life. 

"Sadie!" Jason and Percy cried out in unison, racing over to their dreaming companion.

Sadie turned her head as she swung, her blonde hair flowing in the breeze. A bright grin lit up her face, "Oh, hey guys! I was hoping you'd join me. It's so nice here..." She tilted her neck back and let the breeze tickle her face.

Percy took the initiative. It WAS nice here, but he knew that every second that ticked by, the danger of losing Sadie's life grew. 

Starting out slowly with a low and calm voice, Percy began, "Sadie, this isn't real. This is a dream, and you need to wake up. It's not safe here." 

Sadie laughed, her voice like the tinkling of bells. It made Percy's heart swell, but he had a mission and wasn't planning on failing it. 

"What are you talking about, Percy? It's totally safe here! It's everything I could ever want! If this is a dream, I can understand why Hypnos kids are so lazy," Sadie chirped. 

'Hey!' Clovis said indignantly, and Percy could almost imagine him crossing his arms with a pout. 

Percy ignored Clovis's interjection and walked closer to the side of the swing, giving Sadie a pleading look as if to say 'please understand'. "Come on, Sadie. It's much better to be awake, and you know it. You could have never made any of these memories without being awake in the first place. Can't you please just wake up?" 

Usually Sadie was just as easy to sway as Clovis was. Percy just had that reassuring aura to him that made people want to agree with him. Sadie, however, was oddly adamant about staying asleep. 

Poisonously, the daughter of Zeus grumbled to herself just loud enough for Percy to hear, "It's better here because she can't ruin things." 

The son of Poseidon cocked an eyebrow. "Who?" 

Sadie turned her head and pouted much like a small child who wasn't getting her way. "I'm not telling you." 

Unfortunately, Sadie's subconscious had other things on its mind. An image of Annabeth conjured up in front of the tree-swing, and Percy's eyes widened. That was his girlfriend. 

Jason jumped at Percy's side as Clovis gasped in their minds.

'I think I might know who put the curse on her,' the sleepy son of Hypnos stated importantly. 

All of a sudden, Percy's mind went eerily quiet, and Jason's eyes grew even wider than they had been. 

"W-will you excuse me for a minute," Jason said, more of a command than a question. He backed away quickly, whispering, seemingly, to himself. Percy knew, however, that he was talking to Clovis. Desperately, he tried to mind eavesdrop on his companions, but it was as if Clovis had flipped the switch on his thoughts. All that was left of the head counselor's telepathic presence was the static of a broken TV station. Percy had been tuned out. 

"Gods damn you, Clovis," Percy silently cursed, hoping that Clovis could still somehow hear him. He received no response and gave a heavy sigh. He stared Jason, squinting from where he stood. He couldn't make out his conversation from there, but he did manage to read one word from the Roman's lips: Aphrodite.

Instantly, two and two made four, and Percy understood at last. 

Sadie loved him. 

Gods, am I ever dense, Percy thought to himself before shaking his head to dismiss his thoughts. He looked up once again at Sadie, and took a deep breath. "Listen Sadie, I promise you right now that if you wake up from this dream and join us again, things will be different. Please wake up. Do it for me." 

One of Sadie's gorgeous, green eyes popped open, and she gave Percy a curious look. "Do you really mean it?" 

Percy nodded rapidly. "In fact, I think I should do something that I should have done a long time ago..." 

At this moment, Jason began walking back to the duo, looking very conflicted. He opened his mouth to say something to Sadie when Clovis's voice suddenly returned to Percy's mind.

'I think she's trying to wake up!'

"I think I'm ready to go home now," Sadie said in unison. 

Jason's eyes widened, and he gave Percy a questioning look. Percy did not respond though, dipping his head and helping Sadie off of the swing. His fingers interlocked through hers, and Sadie's other hand reached for Jason. Her brother hesitated before taking her hand as well.

Percy closed his eyes and whispered one final statement to his mind's current occupant, "Get us out of here."

And with that, there was a flash of white light.

\--------------------------------------------

Percy's eyes blinked open groggily, and he found his head resting on top of something warm. He raised his head slowly and found himself blushing profusely. He'd fallen asleep on Sadie's chest. 

Looking around, Percy realized that he was the first one to awaken. Jason was still next to a sleeping Sadie on the bed, and Clovis was passed out on the floor in an incredibly uncomfortable position. He didn't seem bothered though as he snored away quietly. 

There was shifting from the bed, and Percy's gaze turned to meet Sadie once more. Sadie's eyes blinked open with a struggle as she sat up. To her side, Jason was awake as well. 

"What happened?" Sadie moaned, her voice raspy. 

Without skipping a beat, Percy leaned forward with suddenness and kissed Sadie on the lips. Sadie's eyes widened, but she kissed him back to the best of her ability. When Percy pulled away, he felt a smile curling up his lips. He couldn't help it; that had been long overdue. "I love you, Sadie." 

Sadie's face turned even redder before she buried her face in Percy's chest and squeaked with embarrassment. 

Jason gave Percy a side smile. "Okay, that's good because I was gonna punch you if you didn't kiss her." 

Percy hugged Sadie closer to him and couldn't contain the giddiness in his chest. Quietly, he gave a thanks to Aphrodite, "Thank you Aphrodite for meddling around. Without whatever that sleep spell was, I wouldn't have gotten my girl," He paused for a minute to think about something that seemed to be bothering him. "I've never heard of you casting sleep spells before though." 

One more time, the voice of Clovis cut through Percy's thoughts: 'You're welcome...'

And though Clovis was out cold, Percy could have sworn the counselor had given him a sly smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love Clovis :^)


	7. Hannah Rose Brown x Leo Valdez 'A Second Chance'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannah is a sunshiney daughter of Apollo whose best friend just so happens to be Leo Valdez. When he wants to progress their relationship to something a little more romantic, Hannah might have to come clean about a little complication.

'A Second Chance'

There was absolutely no doubt that Hannah Rose Brown was a daughter of Demeter. There was no mistaking the glowing, golden scythe that had appeared over her forehead when she'd first arrived at camp. She'd always been quite the green thumb, and her affinity had always seemed to lie with the flowers, trees, and bushes of the park in her home town. When she first came to Camp Half-Blood, she'd been so happy to have been claimed that a small patch of daisies had sprouted at her feet. She'd quickly settled in with her half-siblings such as Miranda Gardiner, Katie Gardner, and Billie Ng. Despite all of this though, if you were just meeting Hannah, you might just mistake her for a daughter of Apollo.

Though Hannah didn't sport the curly, blonde hair and freckled faces that the majority of the Apollo cabin did, her appearance made no difference. She had long, silky, brown hair and light blue eyes the color of a cloudless sky in the summer. She was fifteen years young, and she held a great appreciation for life that not many in Camp Half-Blood could understand. She was very passionate, taking great joy in her view of life being like a small, fragile flower. Hannah thought that everyone deserved compassion due to this, and even when people would take to bullying her, her motto was always a very firm 'kill them with kindness.' If that didn't work, she'd simply walk away and go on with her life. There was not a single reported case of her ever being rude or cruel to anyone whether they deserved it, or not, and this made her very well liked. 

The way Hannah saw it, bickering and fighting was never the answer. Why quarrel with people you hardly know when you could make more new friends instead? Life was too short in her eyes and being as fragile as it was, she thought it should never be broken by someone else. 

Hannah adored being out in nature whether it be the strawberry patches in camp (her favorite), the forest near the border, or even the wildflowers that sprouted around the grassy land that stretched across camp. She was especially partial to the sunflowers outside of her own cabin and the bright, scarlet poppies that grew along the Hypnos cabin window ledges.

She was a sunshine: very happy, outgoing, and bubbly. A lot of the people around the camp were convinced that Hannah was some sort of a theater girl because of her positive and carefree nature, but she was simply Hannah Brown. She was the type of person to greet new people at the barrier and strike up a conversation immediately. Her list of friends and allies was almost impossible to keep track of, and every day, it grew even bigger. Her friends ranged anywhere from her mellow, cool headed half siblings in the Demeter cabin to the hot tempered and feisty Ares cabin residents. One of the most significant friends that Hannah happened to be her all time best friend, Leo Valdez. 

Leo Valdez was the head counselor of the Hephaestus cabin, and he was certainly quite the character at that. He had tanned, work worn skin with curly, black hair that swept into his chocolate colored eyes that sparkled with childlike impishness. His ears were slightly pointy, much like an elf, and a mischievous smile curled up his lips at all times. He was five foot six, only slightly taller than Hannah, which he never let her forget, and he was scrawny and slim. 

Hannah had met Leo on her first day of camp. She'd been getting a tour from Will Solace of the Apollo cabin when something (more like someone) had caught her eye near the forge. The forge was intensely hot, almost rivaling the heat that radiated from the lava wall across camp. The white marble pillars that set around the outside were stained with soot and ash. The monstrous chimneys that sat upon the roof puffed heavy clouds of thick smoke into the sky. Water flowing in a nearby stream was splashed by the bronze water wheels that rested in them. All around Hannah and Will was the sonorous sound of hammers hitting metal, fires blazing, and ancient Greek curses when a weapon didn't turn out as planned.

There had been plenty of people in the forge such as a short, but strangely muscular child with an adventurous gleam in his eyes, a girl with coffee colored skin and ever darker hair tied back with a red do-rag, and a boy with thousands of cuts, scars, bruises, and scrapes covering every inch of his body. However, despite the diversity, none of them had stood out to her as much as Leo had. 

Leo had been hunched over a table, deep in thought as he looked at the blueprints of something huge and dragon-like. He seemed troubled, and every once in awhile, a gusty sigh would escape his lips. At first, he had paid Hannah no mind, but eventually he seemed to sense that someone was, well, staring. 

His brown eyes had flickered up to meet Hannah's stare, and she'd immediately felt bashful. She hadn't meant to stare as it was quite rude, but it had simply happened. She had squeaked and turned her gaze to Will instead, but she couldn't resist the burning gaze that she felt on her. Eventually, curiosity took over her, and she had turned very slowly to look back to the elvish boy. To her surprise, as soon as their eyes met again, he smiled warmly. 

Hannah's eyelashes had fluttered, and she'd shyly raised her hand, waving her fingers at him. Leo had returned the gesture, hopping over his worktable and trotting over with a sideways smile on his face. His entire demeanor gave off friendly vibes and curiosity; these were two traits that Hannah appreciated herself. 

"Well, hello there. What's your name, pretty?" Leo's voice was mellow and flowed like honey from his lips. Something about his warm eyes, messy hair, and extended hand made Hannah feel welcome. This boy was charismatic without seemingly trying to be. 

"Hey, Leo," Will greeted the Latino boy nonchalantly. "This is Hannah Brown; she's the newest addition of the Demeter cabin. I'm just showing her around for now," He nodded his head toward the discarded blueprint on the worktable behind Leo. "What are you working on? Not another dragon, I hope."

Leo had shook his head, his curls bouncing around his face wildly. "Nah, I don't have any plans to make a new problem for the camp. Festus just needs some repairs is all. He's starting to limp on his back leg, and I'm sure you can probably imagine how grumpy that makes him. He's taken to steaming up the trees around the barrier again, and the dryads are not too happy about it," Leo sighed again, this time with pure exhaustion. 

After mulling in the silence for a few moments, Leo's eyes suddenly lit up again as if he had remembered something pleasant, and he turned to face Hannah, looking a lot more energized than he had just been a moment ago. "So, your name's Hannah, right? Really fits you."

Hannah had giggled softly. "Thank you. And you must be Leo?" 

The Latino boy's chest had puffed up proudly, and he flexed one of his arms. "That's me. Why? You heard of me? I'm a pretty big deal around here, so you've probably heard about me."

The daughter of Demeter had giggled again, tossing her silky, brown hair over her shoulder. "Well, I've heard one thing about you from Will." 

Leo gave Will a suddenly sheepish glance. It seemed like the two had possibly had some sort of a feud or problem in the past. "Oh... So, uh, what did he tell you..?" 

"He told me that you were brought to camp in his chariot, and you completely trashed it," Hannah replied, now having to cover her mouth to suppress her laughter. She simply couldn't help it; it was a ridiculous image: the macho Leo Valdez arriving at camp in style with a dilapidated chariot in tow. 

This was clearly not the legacy that Leo had been hoping she was aware of. His face reddened to a deep shade of tomato coloration, and he scuffed his sneaker on the dusty earth beneath him. Casting baleful eyes at Will, he frowned. "Come on, Solace, that was a long time ago, and you know it. Besides, it wasn't our fault that we were under attack. Haven't you ever heard of let bygones be bygones?" 

Will huffed, crossing his arms with a childish pout. "It was my chariot," he stated stubbornly. 

Leo's eyes had rolled, but there was a certain fondness to it as if this was a recurring argument that the two had shared many a time. He leaned against a nearby metal stool, his cheek rested on his work-worn hand. There was still a hint of embarrassment across his face, but it seemed that he would get over it. "Yeah, well I suppose you left out the part where I went on a heroic quest and totally sacrificed myself for the greater good. You seem to forget that a lot." 

One of Will's eyebrows raised cockily. "My memory is just fine, Valdez. I just leave that story for you to tell since you seem to love talking about your heroism so much. Not very modest if you ask me." 

Leo snorted. "Can't argue with that; I am pretty great. In fact, I'm the Super-sized Mcshizzle." 

"Alright, take it down a couple notches, Hercules," Will's expression warmed into a more amused glance. His arms slowly uncrossed and fell back to his sides like he just couldn't stay mad at this boy. 

Hannah's eyes, however, were wide with wonder. "You went on a quest?" she asked, her voice lilting upwards with awe. "That is so cool!"

Leo and Will exchanged a quick glance. Hannah's surfer boy guide tilted his head and gave her an amiable smile. "You know, if you want to hear the story of his quest, you could probably stick around with him for awhile. You can probably tell how much he likes the sound of his own voice."

"Oh, can I, Will?" Hannah asked, her expression becoming hopeful. "Not that you weren't a good guide or anything because I definitely learned a lot from you."

Will smiled, placing a hand on Hannah's slender shoulder. "It's all good. You can stay here if you'd like on one condition. The condition being that Leo has to finish your entire tour when he's done telling his story, not just around the forge." 

Hannah turned her puppy dog eye to Leo, but he didn't need the extra nudge. He looked almost as giddy about telling the story about his quest and heroism than Hannah looked to hear all about it.

"It's a deal, Solace," Leo stated confidently, straightening up and extending his hand for Will to shake. Will did so gingerly, making sure that there wasn't some sort of hidden emotion in Leo's expression. Finding only eagerness to share his tale and get to know Hannah better, Will nodded. 

"Well, have fun, you two. I'll be in the infirmary if you need me," Will drawled, sounding just the slightest bit more relaxed now that he had completed his task. Though he usually had nothing, but free time on his hands, he still had to care for whatever injured creature waltzed into his infirmary which tended to keep him on his toes. A shorter than usual tour was a very much welcome turnabout. Hannah figured that the lanky Apollo boy was most likely figuring out which of his cots would be the comfiest to sprawl out and take a nap on. 

The two demigods watched Will's departing form wavering through the smoke and intense heat until they could no longer see him. Only then did Hannah turn excitedly to Leo, bouncing on her heels with anticipation. 

"You have no idea how cool I think quests are. Ever since I heard Chiron talking about them in the Big House this morning, I've been hooked! Adventure, romance, tragedy, and conflict, I mean, what makes for a better story?" Hannah's voice squeaked towards the end at the sheer excitement of it all. "I'm sure your story is really interesting!" 

Leo smirked at Hannah's animated speech, brushing a hand across his sweat moistened face and bringing up his whimsy hair from his equally as playful eyes. "Well, my story definitely is different, I'll tell you that. I mean, not many times outside of quests do you really ever get to defeat the snow goddess, ride a giant mechanical dragon, and fight with fly-stealing dwarfs..." Leo's face reddened at the mention of the dwarfs, but he managed to keep his carefree composure in tact. 

"Okay, wow, now you have to tell me. Spare no details; I want to hear it all." 

The oil-stained Latino boy gave Hannah a very genuine smile that almost seemed like a rarity. He seemed to appreciate her curiosity and company like he hadn't had a good listener come through the forge for a long while. Motioning his head towards a bench off to the side of the forge, he held out his hand for Hannah's. "Alright, I can definitely do that. Why don't we go sit down? This might take awhile..."

And without any hesitation at all, Hannah took Leo's hand, followed him to the bench, and initiated the beginning of a unique, lifelong friendship.

\------------------

"I still don't understand how you nursed that lily all the way back to good health," Billie exclaimed, tapping her fingernails along the wooden boards of the Demeter cabin's steps. Her blue bob cut curled around her face just perfectly, bringing out her trademark gold eye shadow. She was donning a dark blue baseball cap that she had turned backwards, and the sleeves of her Camp Half-Blood shirt had been long since snipped away. "The poor thing was almost ready to be read its last rights." 

Miranda nodded, wrapping her arm around Hannah's shoulders and pulling her close. Her skin was sun-kissed from hours spent caring for the strawberries in the strawberry patch with her boyfriend, Sherman Yang. The two were almost never apart, but now seemed to be an exception. "You have such a way with plants, honestly. Even more so than the most of us at the very least."

Hannah shrugged, feeling a shy smile curl up her lips. The truth was that she was highly adept with dealing with plants. Some people were already beginning to speculate that Katie and Miranda would hand down their head counselor positions to her sometime soon. In any case, though Hannah recognized her talent, she didn't like to flaunt it. "Aw, it was nothing. The little thing just needed some love, that's all."

"Speaking of love..." Billie's blue brows wiggled at Hannah who in turn whipped her head around to see what she was looking at. 

Leo Valdez was strolling up to the Demeter cabin, fiddling with his hands even more so than usual. His shoulders were slightly hunched, and his eyebrows were furrowed deeply with thought. Hannah had never seen her friend look so nervous before. He usually looked much taller than he actually was by walking on the tips of his toes and springing around like a jackrabbit, but now he looked... Small...

"Oh, hush," Hannah tittered, giving Billie a playful shove. She looked up at Leo's bent form as he stopped near the steps and hesitated noticeably. "Hi, Leo!" 

Hannah's friend gave her a half-hearted wave, before clasping his hands together hopefully and inhaling deeply. "H-hey, Hannah. I was wondering... Could we talk..." As the entirety of the Demeter sisters blinked up at Leo expectantly, he cleared his throat. "Alone." 

Billie turned and gave Hannah a triumphant smirk. Hannah tried to glare at her, but couldn't muster the anger to. Instead, she just ruffled her sister's hair and nodded at Leo happily. "Sure thing," she strained to get up and found that her legs had long since fallen asleep. Looking to Leo expectantly, she held out her hands. "Could you help me out here, please?" 

Leo nodded, taking Hannah's grass stained palms in his and hoisting her up with surprising strength. Hannah stumbled for a bit before leaning against her friend to catch her balance again and giggling. 

"Sorry, Leo! Guess I forgot how to walk!" 

Leo gave Hannah a fond smile, nudging Hannah towards the direction of his cabin in the near distance. "Nah, it's fine. Why don't we talk near my cabin?" 

Hannah was slightly bewildered at the aspect of such a formal meeting with her goofball of a best friend, but she chose to give him the benefit of the doubt. Ignoring the chuckles rising up from her sisters, she followed her friend obliviously. 

The two friends plodded along the grassy campgrounds; the Demeter cabin on the complete opposite of the cabin formation, thus taking them much longer to walk there than it would have taken to the Aphrodite cabin, for example. Hannah didn't mind though; that simply meant that she would have more time to hang out with her best friend long the way. 

The daughter of Demeter looked up at Leo with a sunshiney smile across her lips. His hair was just as messy as usual, hanging in those warm, brown eyes of his and making his expression almost unreadable. He was chewing on his bottom lip though, and sweat was beginning to drip down his forehead. He was clearly bothered by something, and Hannah couldn't even begin to imagine what was on his mind.

Eventually, the two made it to the Hephaestus cabin's front. Leo didn't stop there, his feet leading them behind the cabin instead. Hannah tilted her head curiously. Was Leo ashamed to be seen with her? He'd never been so secretive before today, and frankly, it was beginning to scare her.

"Leo... What's wrong?" Hannah asked, taking a step closer to her friend. She reached out a gentle hand, brushing the back of it against his forehead. His face felt incredibly warm, and Hannah's eyes widened with surprise. "You're burning up! You should go to the infirmary immediately." 

Leo shook his head, his curls tossing with him. "No, no, I'm not sick... Well, not that kind of sick. I guess I'm still kind of sick, but just not in that way. I mean, that a part of me is sick, but not sick in the way that would make you cough or sneeze, but-"

Hannah placed a finger across his lips, halting his speaking (and breathing) for a moment. His face reddened even more, turning a dark scarlet. 

"Just tell me what's wrong..." Hannah murmured soothingly. She let her facial features relax their concern away to look as unthreatening and open as possible. 

Leo hesitated still for a few heartbeats longer before deciding it was now or never. Heaving a deep breath, his eyes snapped shut, and the words left his mouth at ninety words per second. "IreallylikeyouandIthinkweshoulddate."

Hannah blinked, trying to process the words. No matter what she tried though, she simply could not decipher his sentence. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?" 

The Hephaestus camper cracked his knuckles nervously, silently willing himself to calm down. When he finally found his voice again, he spoke much slower and concise. "Hannah, you've been my best friend for a really long time now, and... And I really... Like you. Like, like like you... Like... Love you. What I'm saying is," he covered his face with one of his arms while extending the other one out to Hannah. "Will you be my girlfriend?" 

Hannah's sky blue eyes widened with surprise. Her demeanor immediately changed from her usual happy and bubbly personality to one of guilt and apology. Shuffling her feet in the grass, she looked up at Leo and hoped he would understand. "I-I'm sorry but I... I can't," and with that, Hannah bolted across the camp, her head down and her cheeks ablaze with blush. 

I can't believe I was just asked out by my best friend, she thought, her mind a whirlwind. And that I had to turn him down. Oh gods, whats going on? 

She raced towards the porch of the Demeter cabin where her sisters were gossiping. They all turned their expectant gazes up to her as she came forward, but when they saw the look on her face, their brows furrowed with concern. 

Shooting past her half-siblings and throwing the door of the cabin open, Hannah darted across the grassy floor and threw herself onto her bed. She wrapped her arms around her knees and rested her face between them. Her shoulders shuddered, but she wasn't crying; she was scared, scared for the friendship that she had been building for years. What if Leo never wanted to speak with her again? What if she'd crushed his heart? What if? What if?

"Hannah...? Are you okay in there?" Billie's usually brash voice was unusually soft and gentle. Hannah heard her older sister's hightops rustle through the grassy floor. Thankfully, she didn't hear Miranda or Katie following her. She could, however, hear them talking among themselves in low voices outside. 

"I... I'm fine..." Hannah lied, feeling guilty immediately. She never lied to anyone, let alone her sisters. 

Billie took a seat next to Hannah on her bed, causing the mattress to sink lower beneath her. She waited for a moment before placing a hand on her little sister's shoulder. "What happened out there?" 

Hannah let out a low moan, burying her face deeper between her kneecaps. "Leo asked me out..." 

Billie's voice took on a congratulatory tone. "Well, isn't that a good thing? You two have been really good friend for a really long time, so why can't you be really good datefriends?" 

"You know why..." Hannah mumbled, and Billie slumped.

"Oh yeah..." 

The cabin went silent for a long while, and Billie scratched at her neck awkwardly. Finally, Hannah's older sister spoke up again, this time her voice soft and full of sympathy. "Well, I can't say I've ever been in your situation before, but I want you to do what you feel is right, okay? Can you do that for me?" 

Hannah nodded slowly, taking a deep breath and looking to Billie. "Yeah... I can try," she shifted her legs over the side of the bed and gave Billie a thankful glance. She leaned her cheek against her older sister's shoulder for a moment. "Thanks, Billie; it means a lot to me." 

Billie's usual snarky side smile slowly returned, and she gave Hannah a tight hug. "Of course! What're magical half-siblings for? Now why don't we check out the strawberry patch? I'll bet ya Pollux is down there, and you know how much he enjoys my company!" 

A snort escaped Hannah, and she giggled lightly. 

The truth was that the head counselor of the Dionysus cabin could barely stand Billie's outgoing nature and extroverted personality as she was always getting into people's faces and trying to make them laugh. Pollux wasn't easy to make laugh, but he had definitely had to hide a few smiles that cracked through his tough exterior when Billie was around. He hated that she could make him happy and thus put on a big show of hatred whenever she was around. It reminded Hannah intensely of Drew Tanaka of the Aphrodite cabin and Clovis of the Hypnos cabin; they both pretended to hate each other's guts when they were in front of people, but Lacy and Mitchell (also of the Aphrodite cabin) claimed that the two had been seen cuddling at the campfire many a time when they thought everyone was too distracted to notice. 

"Oh, give him a break, will you? Poor boy never gets time alone anymore," Hannah said, shoving Billie good-naturedly. 

Billie flashed Hannah one of her bright, toothy grins. "He knows he loves me," she claimed cockily. "Now let's get going, shall we? Don't wanna miss him!" 

And with that, the two sisters trotted off to the strawberry patch. 

Leo wasn't seen for the rest of the day.

\-----------------------------------------------------------------

"My girlfriend is absolutely beautiful. Body like a Greek statue – completely pale, no arms!" 

Hannah tried to fake a laugh at Cecil Markowitz's terrible joke, but it came out sounding completely pathetic and and forced. Truth was, she just couldn't summon enough joy in her heavy heart for her to truly appreciate the one liner. She still hadn't seen Leo since yesterday, and every time she'd ask one of his numerous siblings, she'd get the same response, 'Haven't seen him.' 

Cecil turned his dancing, brown eyes towards Hannah before frowning suddenly. Exchanging a glance with his best friend, Lou Ellen Blackstone, he turned back to the daughter of Demeter and tilted his head. "What's up, Green Thumb? I thought that was a good one!" 

Hannah tried to nod reassuringly, but her head dipped too quickly, giving her away. "Oh, it was, Cecil! I just..." she turned her head away, letting her hair fall freely into her face. "Have a lot on my mind..." 

Lou Ellen leaned forward, her emerald green eyes sparkling with curiosity more than concern. She rested a hand on Hannah's kneecap and spoke, "You wanna talk about it? Cecil and I are really good with secrets. Just ask Will! No one's found out about his secret chariot design he's planning for the next race coming up soon. It's gonna have lasers!" 

"Will's building a laser chariot?" Hannah repeated as a question.

"Shoot!" Lou Ellen brought her palm to her face, and Cecil gave her a wide-eyed look. 

"He told us not to tell anyone!" Cecil put in fearfully. "He'll turn us into training dummies for the infirmary!" 

Lou Ellen gasped. "He wouldn't!" 

Hannah sighed deeply, ignoring the two best friends who began to squabble nervously among themselves and looking up as a shadow covered the shining sun above her.

The shadow happened to be none other than Leo Valdez. 

The daughter of Demeter's eyes widened. "L-Leo!" she exclaimed, standing up quickly and brushing dirt off her thighs in order to look presentable. Since when did she care how she looked in front of Leo?

"Come with me," Leo's voice was husky, and it seemed like he had recently been crying. 

Hannah nodded, immediately following her friend away from Lou Ellen and Cecil who were wrestling and throwing false punches at each other as they argued. She followed Leo until they were near the empty volleyball court before stopping abruptly with a squeak as he swiveled on his heels to face her. 

"Why did you turn me down, Hannah?" The question was blunt and slammed into Hannah like a slap to her face. She realized she had no choice, but to tell Leo the truth. He looked awful...

Leo's messy hair was worse than usual, greasy and falling into his face precariously. There were matching tear tracks down both of his cheeks, and his bottom lip quivered slightly. He hadn't changed his clothes from the day before yet. Frankly, he looked terrible. 

"I had to, Leo," Hannah started, her voice shaking and threatening to break. "I already have a boyfriend... Tommy Simpson... He goes to my school with me in the fall, winter, and spring, and we've been together for awhile now, and I just can't... I can't dump him like that. I'm so sorry, Leo." 

Leo's chocolatey eyes widened before hardening. "Just what I thought. I knew it was too good to be true. We weren't ever going to work, were we...?" 

Before Hannah could answer, Leo frowned. 

"I have to go..." and with that, he began to sulk away, his head hanging low and his shoulders hunched. Hannah had never seen him look so alone and hurt before and to think that it had been her to hurt him... It was all too much.

"Leo, please!" 

But Leo did not turn around. Ignoring his best friend's pleading, he kept walking towards his cabin. 

And the tears began to flood down Hannah's porcelain cheeks...

I can't lose him. I can't! she thought, but it seemed that he was already gone. 

\-------------------------------------------------------

For days upon days, Leo would ignore every attempt that Hannah made to make conversation. It seemed like he couldn't even bring himself to look at her anymore. His eyes were always fixated on the ground, and Hannah was hurt beyond belief. Never in her entire life had she thought she would lose a friend like this; especially Leo.

Hannah's other friends and family were beginning to notice Hannah's dramatic change in demeanor. She was slouching more lately, and she refused to attend most of the camp activities. At the campfires, she'd sit alone, or be unresponsive should someone try to talk to her. She wasn't trying to be rude, and the campers knew that it wasn't something they'd done for the look in her eyes was broken and sad.

As the days went by, summer finally ended. Not being one of the year-round campers, Hannah was finally to return home to begin her classes at her high school once more. She was packing in her cabin despondently, tossing her clothes into her bags haphazardly as her siblings stood by unhappily. 

"Don't dwell on it too much, Hannah," Billie tried, attempting to look into her sister's forlorn, blue eyes. "You gotta try to be happy again!" 

Hannah ignored her, shaking her head sadly as she shoveled the rest of her belongings together. 

At this, Miranda stepped forward authoritatively, causing Hannah look at her. All of the head counselors seemed to have this ability of making even the most unruly of campers obey them, and though Katie was technically the head counselor, she was not a year-rounder like Miranda was, therefore letting Miranda take over whenever she had to leave. Katie was currently attending her school at the moment, leaving Miranda in charge.

"Come on," Miranda began, resting her hand under Hannah's chin and meeting her gloomy gaze head on. "Where's the old Hannah; the one that makes everyone feel good about themselves."

Hannah knew that she was causing her sisters to worry immensely about her, and it was her duty to reassure them that she was okay (even if she wasn't.) Casting Miranda a half-hearted smile, she tightened her grip on her bag's handle. "She's right here," Hannah lied through her teeth. "Now I think I should get going... I bet my parents are waiting for me outside the border..."

With those words hanging in the air, Hannah dragged her feet across the cabin, gave each of her sisters a warm hug, and walked outside of the cabin towards the border. She looked back only one time as her friends gave her 'good-byes' and 'good lucks', and she smiled. 

Among the plentiful people that considered her a good friend and wished her well, Leo was nowhere to be seen.

\-------------------------------------------------------

Hannah's first day back at school had been a good one so far. Her group of friends had welcomed her back with open arms, hugging her and telling her how much they'd missed her. They pestered her to tell them more about the dreamy summer camp she disappeared to every summer. Offerings of snacks, drawings, and homework passes were given to her around every corner, and arguably the best of all, Tommy was there every class period. 

Tommy was the best boyfriend Hannah could have asked for. He was known for being incredibly supportive and kind to everyone which worked well with Hannah's life motto. That's why the two were so compatible. In fact, Tommy loved Hannah so much that she had hardly made it through the school doors before he'd given her the gift of a bouquet of lovely flowers he'd grown himself.

It was a wonderful gesture, and Hannah definitely felt loved, but... She also felt wrong. 

No matter what Tommy did from offer to carry her books to their next class, save her a seat next to him at lunch, or give her the homework answers that she struggled to find, it all felt like it wasn't meant for her. When she'd first began to date Tommy, she'd felt like she was made for him, and that they were going to last forever. Now, Hannah was beginning to feel that maybe these flowers would make some other girl or boy happy instead of her.

Her mind was a whirlwind. Every time Tommy would plant a kiss on her cheek, Hannah would remember the feeling of Leo's callused fingers tracing circles in the same place. Whenever Tommy would wrap his arms around Hannah and pull her close, Hannah would be brought back to when she'd bet Leo couldn't carry her for more than five minutes... He'd carried her around the entire camp despite her giggly protests with nothing, but a genuine smile on his face. Every joke Tommy would tell, he'd look into Hannah's eyes, patiently awaiting a response. This was the same habit that Leo tended to have when he told his awesome stories of adventure and peril.

Hannah simply could not hide her feelings. She'd never been good at that in all of her life, and now was no exception. Her friends realized that something was up and informed Tommy whose face immediately darkened to one of complete concern. He took her hand and led her behind one of the old, in-need-of-repairs vending machines. Touching her face gently, he looked into her eyes. She couldn't meet his gaze.

"Hannah, what's wrong? You haven't been acting like... Well, yourself today. Everyone's worried about you. Are you okay?" 

The daughter of Demeter was never one for lying. Sighing deeply, she began her confession, tears beginning to spill down her cheeks. "Tommy, I... I don't feel like our relationship is right anymore..." 

Tommy's eyes widened, but he didn't seem angry. Instead, he gently motioned for her to continue, his brows furrowing with deep concern. "Why's that, Han?" he asked, his voice soft.

"I..." Hannah's face reddened, and the words blurted out before she could properly think them through. "I think I might like someone else, someone I met at camp a long time ago. He confessed to me a couple weeks ago, and I turned him down because I was dating you, and I do love you, but I think you'd be better for someone else," Hannah instantly felt her face heat up with shame. Tommy had been nothing but kind to her ever since they'd met, and now she was telling him that she didn't want to be together anymore? How horrible was she? "Oh, gosh, I am so, so sorry, Tommy..." 

Tommy looked surprised, and honestly, Hannah couldn't blame him. She'd thrown so much at him, and they'd only just reunited after a long summer apart. She expected anger to flare in his usually so friendly eyes. She expected him to scream and yell at her for breaking his heart. Her body tensed with guilty fear, and she looked up at Tommy, her eyes swimming with tears.

Finally, after a few painful moments, Tommy nodded his head. He spoke with a gentle voice, letting no trace of any anger fall into his words. "I understand. If you love him then you should be with him. I won't think of you any differently, Han," he gave her a sad smile, but his eyes sparkled with permission granted. 

Hannah stood shell-shocked, blinking up at her now former boyfriend with unwavering respect. Her eyes brightened, and it felt as if a weight had been lifted. Throwing her arms around Tommy, she buried her face in his chest. "Oh, thank you, thank you, Tommy! You're the best friend I could ever ask for! I'll... I'll never be able to truly tell you how much this means to me..." 

Tommy smiled, and this time the smile held no pain. He looked just as relieved as Hannah felt that his friend was finally herself again. "Don't mention it, Han. I hope things work out for you two." 

The daughter of Demeter smiled into Tommy's chest; the tears flooding down her face were now of joy. "Something tells me that they will..." 

\-------------------------------------------------------

The rest of the school year went by rather quickly. Hannah had an amazing time with her wonderful friends, and her and Tommy's bond of friendship grew even stronger. Hannah passed all of her classes with flying colors and made it on the high honors multiple times throughout the year. She made plenty of great memories that she made sure to relay to her sisters via Iris messages every night. They were incredibly pleased to have their regular old Hannah back. 

Eventually, summer break rolled around which meant that it was finally time to go back to camp and set things right between Hannah and her best friend. She packed her bags excitedly, chattering to Butch Walker who had come by pegasus to pick her up for the travel. The entire journey, her mouth never truly shut. She had so many things to say after feeling so sad for so long. 

When the pegasus's hooves touched the grass near Half-Blood hill at last, Hannah threw her legs over its side and landed heavily on the earth below. Inhaling the strong scent of the magical strawberry patch lingering in the air, she was filled with renewed energy. 

She raced to the Demeter cabin with pep in her step, waving and casting grins at everyone who greeted her. Cheers erupted from passing demigods as they realized that they had their sunshiney Hannah back once more. Hannah couldn't stop to explain though; she shot up the steps of her cabin and flung her stuff on top of her bed.

"Hey!" An indignant squeal came from her bed where Billie crawled out from under all of the baggage. She looked as if she had just woken up with a major bedhead and tired, brown eyes, but she immediately woke herself up at the sight of Hannah's genuine smile. "You're looking good, Hannah," she commented, bounding over to her sister and pulling her in for a hug. "I'm so glad you're feeling better." 

Hannah giggled in Billie's tight grip, nuzzling her cheek fondly. "It's good to be me again. Listen, have you seen Leo anywhere?"

Billie frowned, tapping her chin thoughtfully for a moment. She seemed conflicted about answering that question, but did so anyways. "I think I saw him skipping stones near the lake before I tried to get some beauty rest." 

Hannah chuckled softly. "Yeah... Sorry about all of my stuff being piled on you, but you have your own bed, you know?" 

The blue-haired Demeter girl shrugged. "Yours is more comfy. Anywhoozle, I'd hurry now if you really want to see him. He might change his mind about being seen in public and go back to hiding in his cabin again."

Hannah winced, but nodded thankfully. "Thank you, Billie. I owe you one," and with that, she dashed out of the cabin and towards the lake. The wind ruffled her hair and breezed across her face, invigorating her further. She had to do this.

As the daughter of Demeter ran across the grassy terrain of Camp Half-Blood, the blue expanse of the lake began to appear in the distance. Loud seabirds cawed loudly overhead, naiads splashed in the shallow water near the shore, searching for shiny seashells, and, low and behold, Leo Valdez was splayed out on the sand, tossing a pebble into the air and catching it languidly. 

As per usual, Hannah felt her heart sink with guilt as she spotted Leo's washed out, lack luster appearance. However bad she felt though, she knew what she was about to do, and the possible outcome was enough to keep her going. The old Hannah was back, and she needed her Leo back.

"Leo!" Hannah called out, cupping her hand around her mouth. "Leo, hey!" 

Leo's head snapped back, and his eyes widened with surprise as they landed on Hannah. He scrambled to his feet quickly, reeling his arm back as far as he could and chucking the pebble out into the lake. With that, he began to speed-walk away from Hannah's direction.

"No, no, Leo, come back!"

Leo did not turn back though, his head dipping lower than before.

Hannah was tired of this. She had something to say, and he needed to hear it. Putting on a burst of speed, she raced in front of Leo and skidded to a halt on the sand. She nearly piled it into the beach, but managed to stay on her feet. Now that she was face to face with Leo, he wasn't getting away any time soon. 

Leo looked slightly taken aback at Hannah's uncharacteristic boldness, but he accepted that he had been caught at last. Taking a shuddering sigh, he looked tiredly into Hannah's eyes. "What do you want...?" he questioned. His voice wasn't hostile and instead sounded exhausted. 

Taking a deep breath, Hannah began. "I know you're still mad at me, but please listen to me. I've been thinking about you ever since... That day I hurt you really bad. I know I did, and I'm so sorry that I did, but at the time, I didn't know what I wanted. I thought that being with Tommy was what I wanted, but it wasn't. He's a good friend, and he's always treated me right, but that's just what he is to me: a friend. Now you..." Hannah gulped nervously. "You mean so much more to me. I just didn't want to believe it at first. I didn't want to hurt Tommy because of my feelings, but... I couldn't go one with the lying."

There was a pause, and Hannah realized that Leo was leaning forward with interest, urging her to go on with the faintest glimmer of hope shimmering in the murky depths of his brown eyes. 

"I split things off with Tommy. We're still friends, and he was completely okay with it, but I just wanted to let you know that it was all for you. I want to be with you, Leo, and I'm so sorry for leading you on the way I did. I'm sorry, and I really hope that we can still be together now... Can we...?"

At this, Leo looked happy for the first time in a long while. His sadness seemed to melt away from him like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. The old mischievous sparkle returned to Leo's dull eyes, and his hands fiddled with the tool belt around his waist. Without a moment of hesitation, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Hannah's.

Hannah felt crimson blush cover her cheeks, but she returned the kiss, feeling a flutter in her chest. As electricity pulsed through her body, and Leo's warm lips moved against hers, she suddenly felt like all was right. She had done the right thing after all, and she couldn't have been happier.

Leo finally pulled back, leaving Hannah fantasizing about the heavenly feeling of his kiss dancing through her mind. His breathing had deepened slightly, and he leaned forward again, this time pressing his forehead against hers and smiling, truly smiling, for the first time in forever. 

"Oh gods, Hannah, I'm... I'm just so happy I can finally have you. I'm so sorry I was acting the way I was, but you mean so much to me, and I thought that if we spent time apart the feeling would fade, but..." His smile raised cockily to the side. "I hope you can tell that they didn't."

Hannah giggled softly, nuzzling against Leo fondly. "I... I love you, Leo..." 

Leo planted one last tiny kiss on Hannah's lips and pulled her into a tight embrace. He sighed in total bliss, brushing his hand down her back. "You have no idea how long I've wanted to hear you say that..." His lips brushed her ear, and he whispered the words that he had longed to say for so long. "I love you too, Flower Girl..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This story was a request by ShriekerGirl on Quotev. Hannah is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!)


	8. Toni Morris x Jason Grace 'Hers or Mine'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toni is a spunky, unclaimed demigoddess of Camp Half-Blood. She has plenty of friends and is quite popular among the ranks of camp. Her best friend of all though is the dreamy Jason Grace. What will happened when Toni finally admits that she might see him as more than a friend?

'Hers or Mine'

(This story was a request by moonandstxrs on Quotev. Toni is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!) 

"Man, tonight's bonfire was better than I remembered them being. It's so good to be back at Camp Half-Blood again," Jason Grace let out a gusty sigh of relief, his arms behind his head as he strolled across the grassy terrain of Camp Half-Blood's land. 

Being the Roman son of Jupiter, Jason was intended to live the rest of his days at Camp Jupiter, but ever since he had set foot on the Greek equivalent of his camp, he'd grown quite attached to every satyr, dryad, demigod, and demigoddess that made their home out there. It was quite easy to grow fond of Camp Half-Blood considering its main purpose was to protect and care for the half-blooded children of the Greek deities above. On top of that, it was much like any other regular old summer camp (if you looked past the occasional hellhound break-in and giant lava wall that the campers scaled for fun.) 

Camp Half-Blood had a large lake that stretched its expansiveness over the center of the camp, and it was usually the center for water based activities such as canoeing, swimming, and the occasional seashell search-and-find. Plenty of gorgeous naiads made their homes along the shallow parts of the lake. That way, they could observe the demigods at play on the sandy shore nearby. Very often, the naiads would take to flirting with whoever strayed to close to them. The swooned half-bloods were never injured though, but they tended to wash up on the shore with soaked clothes and blue lipstick marks on their cheeks. 

The camp featured lots of other areas of recreation for demigods of all interests to have fun and learn along the way as they spent their endless summer days at this very camp. There was an arts and crafts pavilion for the more creative of the bunch such as the Iris, Apollo, and Athena cabins. The arts and crafts sessions were presided over by local dryads with too much time on their hands. 

There was also a great forge that puffed immense clouds of black smoke from its twin chimneys. Giant, bronze waterwheels churned through the water of the nearby stream. Blueprints and battle plans laid strewn about the entirety of the forge messily, scattered to no abandon. The sound of clanging metal against metal and the occasional Greek curse rang out as the Hephaestus and Ares cabins invented away their frustrations. 

For the more sporty half-bloods, there was a volleyball court, a pegasus stable (for pegasus riding, of course), the aforementioned lava climbing wall, and a bloodstained battle arena for hand to hand combat. These were the places that were never vacant as the half-bloods that made their residence here were always on the go, looking for more things to do and see (aside from the Hypnos cabin, that is. Those kids were always sleeping.) 

Each night, the demigods and demigoddesses alike would return to their designated cabins and rest up for the next day ahead of them. There were twenty cabins total for anyone from the big guy himself, Zeus, to someone as minor as Tyche, the goddess of luck and fortune. There were constantly more and more cabins being added to this ever growing list of deities as well, so there were always new people to meet and befriend. 

The last, and perhaps the most important thing that drew Jason back to Camp Half-Blood every so often was the giant amphitheater that housed the fire pit of camp. The fire pit was huge and flickered with flames that shifted from blue, to purple, to green, to the brightest orange you could imagine based upon the feelings of the onlookers around it. There were stands set up around the bleachers for the half-bloods to join their cabinmates and huddle near the fire's warmth and logs sitting closer to the fire for satyrs to play their cheerful music and keep the spirits high. Harps, saxophones, flutes, and wood pipes lay about the logs simply waiting to be played, so their harmonious symphonies could drift through the cold, quiet night air. 

The campfire was arguably the one thing that could bring the half-bloods closer together after a day of hardships or tensions between the cabins. With everyone singing, dancing, and drinking crimson punch provided by the Dionysus cabin, everyone was usually in a great mood during this activity. It was a healing event that could help heartbreak, loneliness, and general boredom all throughout the year, no matter how many people attended. It was a camp favorite to everyone, and Jason Grace was no exception.

In fact, the amphitheater was where Jason had just been; well, he and his friend, Toni.

Toni Morris was a fifteen year old, unclaimed Greek demigoddess who had only just joined the ranks of Camp Half-Blood not more than a few months prior. She had long, caramel blonde hair and warm, coffee colored eyes that sparkled with curiosity. She wore her orange Camp Half-Blood shirt with the sleeves cut away long since she'd first received it, and a pair of blue jeans clung to her frame. 

Toni was quite the enigma around camp; she had been unclaimed for quite some time now, and people were beginning to suspect that she might simply be a mortal who could see through the mist. Toni knew this wasn't true though and clung strongly to her belief in a divine parent of some sort. She currently resided in both the Hermes cabin and the Hypnos cabin depending on her mood of the day. She didn't mind the rowdiness or population of the Hermes cabin so much as she minded their tendency to pickpocket and steal. The Hypnos kids were small in numbers and were, in Toni's opinion, quite boring, but she had had several interesting conversations with them before regarding their crazy dreams and found their company just fine. 

The unclaimed demigoddess was a sweet and kind young spirit, but there was no mistake to be made. She was rebellious and highly intelligent, making her very intimidating to the people around her. They feared that, perhaps, she was the next oracle should something happen to Rachel Elizabeth Dare and that she could possibly see their futures should they look upon them.

Toni knew this was false; she was just a later bloomer. Every new day that came and went held the same hopefulness that Toni could be claimed at any moment. This made life at camp the slightest bit more interesting. 

Of course, camp just wouldn't be the same without her friends. Toni had a few close ones that she held dearly. 

Alice Miyazawa and Julia Feingold were Toni's first friends. She'd met them the first day that she had arrived at camp when they had played the practical prank of emptying Malcolm Pace's ant farm inside of her pillow on the makeshift bed she'd made on the Hermes cabin's floor. At first, she'd been horrified and angry beyond belief until she'd realized that it had all been in good fun. Besides, she figured she wouldn't have to lecture them as they received quite the talk from Malcolm that seemed to go on forever. With a nudge from Chris Rodriguez (perhaps the most levelheaded and calm Hermes child to ever exist), the two apologized and quickly started up a friendship with Toni.

Alice had long, silky ash brown hair and brown, almond-shaped eyes that were usually crinkled as she giggled. She had very definite smile lines, and she radiated confidence and mischief. She was a bit more secretive and sneaky than her sister, Julia was, but that didn't make her any less of a prankster. 

Julia had wavy, mousy brown hair and hazel eyes that sparkled with impish playfulness. Her lips were full and plump and were usually curled up in a patronizing smirk. She constantly had her hands in her back pockets and would draw a lot of attention to her face when she spoke, so that she could rob you blind without you even knowing it. She was very extroverted and flirty, and though Toni and Julia and long since made up for the first night prank, Julia still often tried to snatch pens, paperclips, and hair ties from her friend when she wasn't paying attention. She swore that it was to test Toni's alertness. 'A true demigod or demigoddess was always meant to be alert,' she explained. 

Another one of Toni's closer friends was Chiara Benvenuti. Chiara had dark, pixie-cut hair, and intense, almond eyes that radiated challenge though she was no child of Ares. She was lithe and athletic, and she was always down for a training session with Toni no matter the time of day. She was usually ranting or complaining about someone or another (typically Damien White of the Nemesis cabin), but Toni didn't mind her venting. She rather liked the way the rapid fire Italian words flowed from Chiara's tongue. 

One of Toni's closest friends was Kayla Knowles. Kayla was one of the only girls in the Apollo cabin though she was so adept with weapons and bows that she fit right in with her brothers. Kayla had short, choppy red hair that had been dyed and redyed green time and time again. Constellations of freckles covered every inch of bare, sunkissed skin on Kayla's body. She was a kind hearted girl and was always there for Toni when she needed someone. The two had become quick friends as their personalities had simply clicked. 

Toni's best friend though was none other than her current company, Jason Grace. Jason was everything a girl could ever ask for; he was tall, strong, and very, very handsome. He had millions of scars from battles and training, but the most noticeable one was on the corner of his lip. 

With a carefully chiseled facial structure, close-cropped, blond hair, and sky blue eyes that were framed by a pair of glasses, Jason was a highly sought after boy, especially among the Aphrodite cabin. Unfortunately though, Jason was taken by the one and only Piper McLean, and it seemed like they would never split apart. 

Jason was a kind, thoughtful, and considerate young man that held a lot of sadness to him as if he had walked in the shoes of every person on the earth and had to bear their burdens alongside of his own. He was stern, but reasonable, often taking the role as the father figure in any group he hung out with. He had to be with friends as reckless as Piper McLean, Leo Valdez, and Toni Morris. 

Jason had defended Toni at the campfire signifying her first week at Camp Half-Blood. Drew Tanaka had been ridiculing her for still remaining unclaimed at this age, starting the rumors here and there that she might just be some stupid mortal or the child of a god no one cared about. This had started giggles and gossip to spread around the amphitheater. As quickly as this had started though, it suddenly stopped as Jason had rose from his spot near Piper. 

The Roman demigod had decided to spend the summer at Camp Half-Blood for old time's sake, and he knew that he was well renowned in both of the camps for being very powerful. He was to be respected, and he knew it. Casting a disappointed glare around the amphitheater, his look was enough to make the flames in the fire pit splutter and turn a violent shade of violet. Instantly, the laughter halted. 

Jason had let them have it. He chided the campers, saying that the last time anyone made fun of someone for being unclaimed at age fifteen, they had turned out to be prophecised demigods and had saved this very camp. At this, Drew dipped her head with a frown and shuffled back to her seat underneath the Aphrodite banner. The head counselor underneath the Hypnos banner snorted, thoroughly enjoying Drew's humiliation. He had been one of the only ones to not laugh, but he simply couldn't help it. Drew was a mean person, and she was getting what she deserved.

This did not sit well with Jason though, and he turned his piercing gaze to the head counselor. His glare was less angry and more stern as if to say that even a bully didn't deserve to be bullied. The head counselor seemed to know Jason and immediately looked down sheepishly. 

With all of the drama cleared, Jason had introduced himself to Toni formally and proposed that she sit by Piper and himself to chat. She'd done so eagerly, anxious to make new friends and allies (especially as handsome as Jason.) 

The satyrs eventually began to play their music once more, and the camp fire went back to normal, rising to its normal height and turning gold in coloration. 

Over time, Jason and Toni began to hang out more. Jason liked to train and battle as it was hardwired into his Roman blood that he had to be tough. Toni wasn't much of a fighter, and she had no idea where her powers abilities lied, so she simply sat back and watched as Jason demolished training dummies and the occasional stray monster that managed to wander into camp. 

The two also spent a lot of time near the lake, watching as Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase splashed each other fondly and played intense games of chicken with the other head counselors. Jason often looked out warmly as if he was their father, making sure that they were safe and happy.

Toni liked that about him; he made her feel safe and protected. He was like a mother wolf watching over her pack of wolves and who would surely do anything to make sure that they all thrived. That wasn't the only thing Toni liked about Jason though; in fact, it was far from the only thing.

In truth, Toni liked every part of Jason's handsome appearance and wise beyond his years personality. One might even say that she was in love with him.

The two might have made a perfect couple if there hadn't been one tiny, unfortunate detail; Jason was taken.

Now Jason wasn't just taken by anyone. He was dating and completely enamored with the head counselor of the Aphrodite cabin, Piper McLean. Piper had dark, tan skin, coffee colored, choppy hair, and kaleidoscope eyes that shifted from blue, to green, to brown, and back. She was gorgeous without even trying though she didn't seem to care about her looks or what anyone thought of her in the slightest. She did what she wanted. If she felt like sunbathing while she was supposed to be training, she'd do so and train twice as hard at the next session with Clarisse La Rue, the Ares cabin counselor. If she felt like stealing a sword from the armory for a practice session with Leo Valdez, one of her best friends, she'd do it. No one could tell her otherwise.

She wasn't spoiled, she just enjoyed doing things her way and not letting anyone tell her what to do. She wasn't entirely reckless though; she knew exactly when she was crossing the line and hardly ever did so. Piper was a head counselor, and she knew that she was to be a role model. Thus, she was. She was a role model for children who were previously bullied. She was a role model for those who were tired or being pushed around. Best yet, she was a role model for those who floundered in the love department.

Jason and Piper's relationship seemed like it was fresh out of a dream. Perfectly crafted for each other in every way, shape, and form, they were the second biggest power couple in camp, second only to Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase.

This was the sole fact that kept Toni from admitting to Jason. She was scared that she'd be shot down in seconds and only make everything for them awkward. She didn't want to lose Jason's friendship, but gods, was it ever annoying watching Jason and Piper cuddle by the fire...

"Toni, are you okay?" 

Jason's concerned voice cut through Toni's deep thinking, and she blinked quickly, trying to regain her composure. She'd almost forgotten where she was going and where she was currently. She could not, however, forget who she was with. 

"Huh? Oh yeah, yeah, I'm fine, Jason. Thanks for asking though," Toni hurriedly let the words spill from her lips so as not to worry Jason. Her tone caused the exact opposite effect she'd been hoping for as Jason's eyebrows narrowed more.

Resting a hand on Toni's shoulder, Jason stopped walking and looked into Toni's eyes. "It's no problem, but I don't like it when you lie to me. I can tell that you're not okay. What's really wrong, Toni?" 

Toni blushed thoroughly, secretly enjoying Jason's gentle touch. She dipped her reddened face and chewed on her lip. What was she supposed say? Was she supposed to lie even more than she already was? Ugh, feelings were complicated. "No, no, I'm seriously okay, Jason. I was just... Daydreaming." 

Jason tilted his head like a golden furred puppy. Toni fought the urge to squeal. This boy was a walking paradox; he was not only hot, but he was cute too. Not many boys could master that look, but Jason seemed to be the exception. 

"Well, if you're sure then I guess I'll drop it. Just know that you can talk to me about anything. I'm always up to hearing you out and trying to help when I can. You're my friend, Toni, and that's what friends do." 

Toni felt her heart drop to her shoes. 

Friend... Not girlfriend.

"Right, right, I understand," Toni flipped her honey blonde hair across her shoulder, trying to regain her usually cool composure. It didn't seem to be working this time. "Well, the same goes for you, you know. You can tell me anything, and I'll always be there for you-"

"Well actually, if it's not too much trouble, I do have something I sort of want to get off my shoulders..." Jason realized that he had interrupted Toni and bowed his head apologetically. "S-sorry for cutting in like that, but it's really eating me up. Could I... Could I tell you what's on my mind?" 

Toni's heart seemingly sprouted wings from its position near her shoes and flew back up to her chest, fluttering excitedly. Maybe he harbored hidden feelings for her after all? Maybe he wanted to know if she felt the same way? This could be her chance! 

"Of course you can. I just said so, didn't I?Just let loose, J." 

Jason smiled sheepishly, rubbing a hand through his close cropped hair. He looked almost shy to share what he had to say which only excited Toni more. She'd seen this behavior before when Cecil Markowitz had asked Lou Ellen Blackstone out the week prior. Shy boys typically meant that a proposal of the romantic kind was coming. 

"Thanks, Toni," Jason straightened his shoulders and looked from side to side nervously. Finding no one that was close enough to hear this conversation, Jason deemed it safe to speak, and the words flooded from his mouth. "Listen, you can't tell her I said this, nor can you say anything around her nosy siblings, but Piper and I... We haven't been doing well together lately. In fact, things have been pretty rocky."

Toni covered her mouth with a hand to conceal the smile that was beginning to wriggle over her lips. Hearing that someone's long lasting relationship was heading downhill was never good news, but in this case, Toni simply couldn't help it. She couldn't believe her good luck. Finally, after all of this waiting, her dream boy was reconsidering his choice in partners. It was her time to shine. 

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry, Jason," she side-stepped over as nonchalantly as possible, sidling up closer to Jason as the chilly summer night breeze began to rustle through the camp. "I thought you guys were doing well. What happened...? If you don't mind me asking, that is." 

Jason shook his head, scratching his chin as he grew deep in thought. He didn't look angry, but instead looked confused as if he couldn't decipher what was going on in the first place. "Things were going good, and honestly, I'm not even sure myself why things aren't anymore. Piper keeps... Well, she keeps saying things that she never said before. Concerns that she's never discussed with me ever." 

Toni tilted her head. Piper was not typically a worrisome person, going with the flow more often than not. What could possibly be bothering her now that things were going well for Camp Half-Blood? There were no wars, no impending threats, no inter-cabin feuds (well, no more than usual), so what was troubling her? "What would that be?" she questioned, genuinely curious. Perhaps there was some hidden threat that only Piper knew about. 

"She keeps saying things like 'the only reason we're together is because Hera messed with our heads,' and 'everything that we remember from our relationship is fake, so how do we know that these feelings aren't fake too?' Honestly, I'm starting to think... Well, I don't like to make assumptions, but I think she might want to break things off and try out being single for awhile."

The unclaimed demigoddess frowned deeply. The time of Gaia and Hera was long since passed; if Piper was worried about it before, why wouldn't she have dropped some sort of hint or clue before Jason fell so deeply in love with her? 

"That's terrible, Jason. I'm so sorry that you two are going through this..." Toni's voice was heavy with sympathy. Suddenly, her empathy was overruling her initial joy at the mention of his breakup. "Well, I hope that whatever happens, you can both get through this." 

Jason dipped his head, inhaling sharply and letting out a tortured sigh. "I hope so too..." He took a moment to compose himself once more and sighed again. "Thanks, Toni, you're the best."

Toni had never seen Jason look so conflicted and broken before. He seemed torn between loving Piper with all of his being and letting her go for her own happiness. He was considerate like that, always thinking of other people before himself: his ultimate fatal flaw.

The two continued to walk, the twenty cabins finally beginning to appear in the distant horizon. A muffled, comforting glow escaped from the lights inside the few cabins whose occupants had arrived home from the fire. There were hardly any demigods milling about the clearing as there usually was, and Toni figured that the majority of them had either bunked down for bed already or were finishing the last of the s'mores and punch still in the amphitheater. Most of the camp had Tartarus pits for stomachs.

A more brisk chill of wind rushed against Toni's exposed skin, and she shivered more visibly now. She wrapped crossed her arms and hugged herself tightly, her teeth beginning to shiver. Toni had little to no tolerance for cold, and now she felt near freezing. 

I don't remember it being this cold earlier, Toni thought. Maybe I should have listened to Chris and brought a jacket. I hate it when he's right. 

"Hey, are you okay down there?" 

Jason's gentle voice cut through the otherwise silent night, and Toni jumped, her heart racing once more. 

"Y-yeah, just a little c-cold," Toni assured her friend, silently cursing her jumpiness as Jason looked down at her in amusement. 

"Didn't mean to scare you, but here; take this," Jason shuffled out of his dark, baggy jacket, his midriff being exposed to the public for only a second before his Camp Half-Blood shit fluttered down to cover him once again. He held out his jacket to Toni with a welcoming grin. "This should keep you warm." 

Toni nearly fainted. "Th-thank you, Jason!" She hesitantly reached out for the jacket, grabbing it quickly before he could change his mind and take it back. She threw up her arms, diving into the huge sweater and inhaling the lingering scent of Jason Grace. 

The sleeves were much to big for Toni, flopping around uselessly like a pair of noodles, and the jackets itself hung down like a dress, but Toni had never thought that something had fit her this perfectly. It was like this was meant to be hers. Perhaps she could convince Jason to part with it for good. Her pillow in the Hermes cabin was in desperate need of a new pillowcase. 

"Looks good on you if you look past the fact that it's obviously at least two sizes bigger than you actually are," Jason joked, nudging Toni slightly. "Hopefully it does its job." 

Toni cuddled her face against the warm fabric beneath her. It had already dulled the cold to only a slight irritation, and she felt her eyes drooping tiredly. The feeling was reminiscent to curling up near a fire with some milk and cookies. "It's definitely working, but what about you? Won't you get cold without it?" 

Jason smiled again, the scar on his lip becoming just the slightest bit more noticeable. "I'll manage. Besides, we're almost at the cabins now." 

And right he was. The two had made it to the clearing where the cabins set lazily in the night. The lights were more sparse now, and stars twinkled above the cabin roofs. It wouldn't be long before the harpies would come out and sweep the camps for stray demigods out past curfew. 

Toni and Jason strode past the Hermes cabin (the cabin Toni was currently meant to be at) and continued walking towards the Zeus cabin. The two rotated who was meant to walk the other person home each time they hung out. Tonight, it was Toni's turn to walk Jason back though he was almost a year older and a head counselor. 

When they finally reached the great double doors to the Zeus cabin, Jason looked around mischievously before cocking an eyebrow and giving Toni a playful look. Toni stifled a giggle at his ridiculous expression. "What's with that face, Grace?"

Jason chuckled and cupped a hand around his mouth, his eyes shifting around suspiciously. "You wanna come in and chat for awhile? Doesn't look like anyone will catch you if you do."

Toni swallowed her spit. She'd spent an uncountable amount of time with Jason before, but now it felt different. The two had never been alone in a cabin together because it was strictly forbidden in camp. Boys and girls (or well known couples) were not permitted to be alone in cabins together because of the very well known fact that teenagers, when left to their own devices, could make regrettable choices. Yet here was Jason, a head counselor and a well respected one at that, breaking a rule to hang out with one of his friends way past curfew.

With a quick dip of her head, Toni tried to play it cool and hopped inside. Jason ushered her into the cabin hurriedly, closing the door behind them and sighing deeply. "We are totally not supposed to be doing this." 

Toni shrugged, trying to seem unbothered when she was, in fact, filled with butterflies. "Not like we're gonna do anything bad. Chiron is way too strict with the whole boys and girls rule. I mean, Nico and Will hang out alone in the cabins all the time, and they don't get in trouble. Only the gods know what they get up to on their own." 

Jason laughed. "That's true, but yeah. We're just talking..." he trailed off awkwardly and gave Toni a sheepish look. "So, what do you want to talk about then...?"

Again, Toni shrugged. "No clue. You got anything interesting in mind?" 

"Not especially. All I know is that I'm supposedly missing a lot back at Camp Jupiter. Dakota and Gwen got together finally, Reyna organized some new war game to play, and Hannibal the elephant got an upgrade with his armor," Jason rambled on and on about Camp Jupiter for awhile, and Toni felt a bit of worry spur up in her throat. 

"You don't like Camp Jupiter more than here, right? I mean, I know it's where you started out and everything, but it sounds way less fun there."

Jason thought about this for a moment before throwing up his hands with utter confusion. "I honestly couldn't tell you which place I like more. I mean, I have friends in both camps. Camp Jupiter definitely is way more strict than Camp Half-Blood is, but sometimes it's sort of welcome. It definitely helps me work on my training. At the same time, I do like taking a load off here every once in awhile. I guess I sort of belong to both camps. I could never choose between the two of them," he snorted. "Besides, if I said that I like Camp Jupiter more than Camp Half- Blood, Leo and Pipes would probably kill me." 

Toni flinched at Piper's name. "So, you really think this is the end of your relationship then? You guys have been through so much."

Jason's gaze grew distant. "I don't know, but you're right. It'll seem like a waste should we end it all now, but if it's what Piper wants..." Jason sighed. "I just wish she hadn't been my first... Well, everything. Crush, girlfriend, kiss-"

"What's it like to be kissed?" The words flooded from Toni's mouth before she even knew what she was saying, and her eyes widened with surprise at herself. 

Despite the bluntness, Jason didn't seem all that taken back. He looked down at the floor, scuffling his sneakers on the wood beneath him awkwardly. "Well... It's sort of hard to put it into words, really. It's..." he paused for a moment before looking up, the look in his eyes indistinguishable. "I could show you if you want." 

Toni felt her entire face grow hot, her jaw dropping. Had she really heard Jason correctly? Had he really just offered to show her how kissing felt? Was he offering to kiss her? 

For a few pounding heartbeats, Jason never broke Toni's gaze. He patiently awaited an answer, taking in Toni's body language for any sign of discomfort. Finding only surprise in her murky, brown eyes, he took a slow step forward. "Only if you're okay with it..." he said softly. 

The unclaimed demigoddess swallowed thickly before nodding her head. "You can... I mean, I want you too..."

Jason's intense gaze wavered only for a minute as a sparkle of what seemed like pride flickered in his eyes. He took a few more steps closer, reaching out his hand and caressing Toni's cheek gently. Leaning down, Jason looked into Toni's eyes, searching her for any doubt or fear. "Are you sure this is okay?" he asked just one time more. 

Toni's heartbeat quickened, and all the blood in her body seemed to rise to her face. She swayed on her heels as Jason grew ever closer. She could feel his hot breath on her face and make out every tiny detail of his. 

His lips looked so warm and welcoming...

"Y-yes..." Toni nodded quickly, gulping down all of her worries and closing her eyes. 

Jason's hand slowly trailed down Toni's jawline, cupping her chin and turning her face slightly. His lips met hers, and Toni felt heaven on earth. His lips were firm, but not controlling or possessive. He kissed her softly, but with enough passion to make Toni believe that he'd wanted this just as much as she had. 

It started off innocent enough, just a first kiss and nothing more, but when Jason pulled back, Toni wanted more. She arched her back into Jason's front, stretching upward and making the first move this time. When their lips met once more, Toni's were slightly parted. 

Jason cautiously trailed his tongue across Toni's bottom lip, shyly asking for permission to enter. Toni shifted her jaw slightly, and the two friends' mouths connected as one. Neither of them was overpowered and they shared the dominance rather equally as their kissing progressed to something more. Toni's leg wrapped around Jason's waist, and Jason's fingers tangled through her hair.

Toni had no experience with anything like this, yet she found herself to be rather good at reciprocating the kiss. It wasn't as hard or scary as she had thought it would be, and it almost seemed like Jason and her lips were meant to be against each other. 

The kiss lasted for a few seconds more before Jason pulled back for air. They broke apart with a an almost inaudible, wet pop and stared each other hungrily for a moment. Jason's sky blue eyes were cloudy with lust, and his lips were moistened from Toni's. His face was flushed, and his shirt was slightly askew from Toni's leg, but he looked as if he wanted more. 

So, this is what Piper sees when they go at it... Toni thought somewhat mutinously as she panted to regain her breath. That kiss had taken a lot out of her. Her mind was racing, most of her thoughts consisting of what she had just done and what she and Jason could do next. Unfortunately, her subconscious had other ideas, focusing on the one thing that could ruin everything: Jason wasn't single. 

Wait, Piper... Toni's eyes widened suddenly with horror. She had just kissed someone else's boyfriend. No, no just kissed, something more. She had just made out with the Aphrodite cabin counselor's boyfriends. 

Taking several steps backward away from Jason, Toni stammered, "I-I have to g-go..." She turned towards the door and began to retreat. Jason reached out and grabbed her arm, stopping her from going any further. His eyes were hurt and curious, perhaps wondering if he had done something wrong. 

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice cracking sharply. 

Toni snapped her eyes shut, tugging her arm away from Jason's gentle grip. "Jason, you have a girlfriend. I can't... We can't... We shouldn't have done that. It was wrong," and with that, Toni barreled out of the Zeus cabin, ignoring the sharp, surprised caw of a harpy she had nearly ran into. She heard Jason calling out her name as she raced towards the Hermes cabin, but she didn't turn around.

No one could know about this, especially not Piper. 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been only a few days since the fateful kissing session, and Toni still could hardly wrap her mind around the single fact that it had happened. She couldn't believe herself; she wasn't dirty boyfriends thief, and she never would be, so why had she done that? 

To keep her mind off of Jason, she'd very half-heartedly confessed to Isaac Schuster, and the two were currently dating. Isaac was a kind, thoughtful, and innovative young man, but the truth was that he was just a distraction. Toni held no real attraction to him, and as much as it hurt her to string him along, she needed him. Her hopes had been that the longer the two were an item, the more her feelings would grow for him until she could finally return his love for her. Unfortunately, Toni's heart was set on one person: the one person she couldn't have. 

Catching glimpses of Jason around the camp was the worst. He looked tired, sad, and guilty, his gaze always forlorn. No longer would he stride around the camp radiating the authority that he deserved. Instead, he slouched, his posture worsening. He was hardly seen with Piper anymore, and, Toni thought, he looked rather lonely. 

She couldn't bring herself to speak with him though. Whenever she thought about doing so, she was filled with overwhelming guilt and desire. She loved him, and no matter what she did to distract herself from that fact, she could never change it. 

"So, what d'ya think, babe? Feel up to some welding in the forge today? I know how much you love to help me out," Isaac's cheerful voice interrupted Toni's muddled train of thought, and she snapped her head to look at her boyfriend. 

Isaac had short, red hair and emerald green eyes that shone like stars. He was lean, yet strong, and his body wore the scars of plenty of past battles. His smile tugged up his lips, and his cheeks were nice and rosy. 

Honestly, Toni hated being in the forge; it was much too noisy and hot, and she was no good at building or inventing things. Welding was the worst because of the cumbersome, hefty masks she had to wear. She had endured days upon days of hanging out in the forge with Isaac, and she was sure that by now, she had been bored to death at leave six times. 

"Ah, I'm not sure Isaac... That's what we did all of yesterday too..." Toni drawled, blowing a puff of air at her caramel colored hair in exhaustion. 

Isaac looked slightly disappointed, but he nodded. "Oh, yeah, of course. Well, what didja have in mind for today then? I'm down for whatever ya want, babe." 

I know you are, Toni thought miserably. But I'm not your babe. 

Suddenly a shadow covered up the sun, looming over Toni forebodingly. She flinched, wondering what chore she'd forgotten to cover for Alice this time. Turning hesitantly, Toni prepared five possible excuses to use plus a few back-ups just in case Alice figured out that Toni did not, in fact, own a pet fire-breathing dragon. 

"Listen, whatever it was, I'm sorry I forgot and-" 

"Hey, Toni."

Toni froze, blinking her eyes up at none other than Jason Grace. The son of Zeus looked like he'd been crying recently, but he held a steely gleam of determination in his sky blue orbs. 

"H-hi, Jason..." Toni squeaked, her voice little more than a whisper. Her eyes trailed down Jason's face and rested on his lips. Absent-mindedly, she licked her own lips, thinking back to that night...

"Toni?" Isaac's voice brought Toni back to the real world, and she turned to look at her replacement boyfriend sheepishly. His head was tilted like a ginger furred puppy. He didn't look accusational, instead looking curious. "Did you make plans with Jason?"

Toni nodded slowly. "Y-yeah, sorry, Isaac. I-I... Forgot..." She reluctantly stood up from where she sat and shot Isaac an apologetic glance. "I'll... See you later, I guess?" 

"Yeah, of course," Isaac also rose from his seat, stretching leisurely, his tense back cracking audibly. "Well, you two have fun. I'm going down to the forge."

No surprise there, Toni thought, but she held no grudge against Isaac. He was passionate for building and inventing, and it was in his blood. Though she'd been utterly bored watching him do his thing, she never grew irritated at him. 

"And Toni," Isaac leaned near Toni's ear, his lips very nearly brushing against it. "It's okay. I understand. I know you guys were sort of a thing before we started dating, so... Well, you just do what makes you happy, babe," and with that spoken understanding and permission, Isaac pulled away with a knowingly smile and dipped his head at Jason. The red-headed boy cracked his knuckles and strode towards the forge. 

Toni felt slightly bad for leading Isaac on. She knew that he loved her truly, but he seemed to know that she had other ideas. Yet, he held no anger or jealousy over her. He had simply implied that if Toni loved Jason, she had every right to be with. He was a nice guy... Toni made a mental note to get him a gift basket sometime and apologize to him properly. 

Steeling herself, Toni turned her gaze back to Jason. Swallowing her spit, she held out a hand. "Well... Shall we?" 

Jason nodded. "One of your cabin... Or mine?" 

The fingernails on Toni's free hand dug into her palms her knuckles turning white. "Yours. Mine are too crowded and nosy for... Something like this." 

"I just want to talk with you; you know that right?" 

"Of course," Toni responded, her voice cracking upwards in pitch. What had Jason thought she had thought they were going to do? 

"Good. My cabin it is then," the son of Jupiter concluded, taking Toni's hands in his and beginning to walk in the direction of the marbled cabin in the distance. 

\---------------------------------------------

Has this cabin always been this quiet? Toni thought, shifting her weight from foot to foot awkwardly. 

The Zeus cabin was almost entirely empty and desolate with only one bed in sight and a photograph of Thalia Grace on the wall beside it. The cabin was dark as per usual, but it seemed more intense this time; the only way Toni could still see Jason was by the sparks flickering off of his fingertips. Absolutely no noise whatsoever, excluding Toni and Jason's breathing, was to be heard. 

If there was ever a time to be intimidated, it would be now, and Toni was definitely feeling it.

"Toni... I'm sorry," Jason began, his voice sounding hollow like he had gone through an extreme amount of pain to come to that conclusion. "I shouldn't have... Played you like that..." He paused before scoffing. "I hate that word: 'played.' Sounds wrong. I mean, what I did was wrong, but I didn't mean..."

Toni stood stoically, listening as Jason fumbled for words. 

"Gods, I should have planned this out better... Sorry for that. What I mean to say is... I should have waited. Piper and I were still together, and you knew that, and I knew that, and it was wrong. It was my fault, and I don't blame you at all. I should have waited until... Well, until now," Jason took a huge, shuddering breath. "Piper and I aren't together anymore. She wants to work on herself and isn't planning on dating again for a long time if ever. And Toni... I'm going to be honest; I've liked you for a very long time. You're just, well, perfect. I love your spunkiness, your eyes, your jokes, and your hugs... Just every part of you is perfect to me, and I can't believe that I didn't tell you that before when I knew things with me and Pipes weren't going to end well. You've always been my... My true love. I love you, Toni, and it's okay if you don't love me back, but I needed to tell you."

Toni stood, processing Jason's words silently.

Jason is sorry for kissing me when he hadn't broke up with Piper officially yet. Jason and Piper split up. Jason thinks I'm perfect. Jason... Loves me...

Hot tears began to flood down Toni's cheeks, and she sniffled softly. Toni saw Jason's face crumple into one of concern, and he reached out to her slowly. 

"Toni? Ah, geez, I'm sorry. Are you-"

But before Jason could finish his expression of worry, Toni lunged forward and pressed her lips against Jason's. The long desired feeling of his kiss had finally returned, and Toni melted into it. It had been only a few days since the first time the two friends had kissed, but gods, it felt like ages. Finally, it was happening again.

This kiss lasted nowhere near as long as the first session, but when Toni pulled back, her face felt just as flushed. Pressing her face against Jason's chest and cuddling up to him, she sighed with relief. 

"You have no idea how long I've been waiting for this moment. I love you too, Jason, and I'll gladly be yours if you'll be mine..."

Though Toni could not see Jason's face, she would bet quite a few drachmas that he smiled down at her. His fingers brushed through her hair, and he pulled her even closer as if protecting her from the world around her.

"I think... That could be arranged."


	9. Will Solace x Nico Di Angelo 'A Day with Human Sunshine'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ever since Nico has managed to get his nightmares about the events leading up to the war against Gaea under control, he hasn't wanted to leave his bed for any particular reason. Sleeping peacefully is just SO GOOD. Unfortuinately for him, he has a certain significant annoyance who refuses to let him sleep his life away without having a little fun first. 
> 
> (This was a request for my friend, orangedoor on Quotev!)

'A Day with Human Sunshine'

It was another beautiful morning in Camp Half-Blood yet not a drop of sunlight trickled into the Hades cabin's dark inside. The walls were completely windowless, obscuring everything from the outside of camp. Though it was pitch black inside of the Hades cabin, the cabin counselor (and currently the only resident) Nico di Angelo knew that creepy, macabre decorations covered every spare inch of the walls around him. They were severely unrealistic, but they still made people uncomfortable enough when they stepped inside for cabin inspection. 

Nico was presently lazing about in one of the coffin shaped beds. He cuddled deeper into the wooden bed, relishing in the fact that he could sleep peacefully after the war against Gaea at last. Covered up by only a blood red sheet and nestled into a matching crimson pillow, Nico finally felt at home.

Initially, the cabin's design had primarily been at the hand of a couple of freelancing undead construction workers. Nico had helped (mainly with the designing of the exterior of the cabin), but the cabin had still turned out incredibly stereotypically Hades-like. It was nothing the real underworld. Honestly, the interior of the cabin looked more like a cheesy haunted house for tourists than a cabin fit for the spawn of death.

In all honesty, Nico had hated the decor and the general vibe that the cabin he resided in gave off to other people. It was unbelievably creepy and unwelcoming to most other people with the only exceptions being other underworldly demigods such as Clovis from the Hypnos cabin and a certain son of Apollo whose name Nico would not be mentioning. At first, this had upset Nico, but now he appreciated it to no end as it very successfully kept people from bothering him in the morning. It meant that he could sleep in for as long as he wanted.

As soon as the thought crossed Nico's mind, a obnoxiously loud knock sounded on the heavy oak door.

"Hey, Lord of Darkness! Are you alive in there?" 

Nico let out a loud groan, covering his face with his pillow. 

Scratch that, the Hades vibe managed to keep ALMOST everyone away. 

"Come on, Neeks, I know you're in there!" The voice was just as persistent as usual. It would not be leaving any time soon. Simply waiting it off would gain nothing. 

A long suffering sigh escaped Nico's lips, but he couldn't deny the reluctant smile that was beginning to curl up his face. He sat up, throwing his legs over the side of his coffin bed (extremely uncomfortable.) He lugged himself out of the bed and stretched, hearing a few satisfying cracks from his creaky bones. Shuffling over to the door, he braced himself silently. 

The door was tugged open, and Nico was nearly blinded from the sheer brightness that befell him. The light of the sun was very different when in comparison to his dark, shadowy cabin. In fact, the sun seemed brighter than ever today as if it was standing right at his doorstep...

Nico blinked his coffee brown eyes to clear his vision and was not surprised to see the all too familiar face of William Solace beaming at him, almost literally. 

William 'Will' Solace was a tall, lanky boy with sun-kissed skin that was almost entirely covered with freckles. He had wavy, blond surfer style hair, and eyes the color of a cloudless, blue sky. He was decked out in a Camp Half-Blood T-shirt, a pair of tan khakis, white socks, and black sandals. He fit the bill of his role as the Apollo head counselor very well.

With a roll of his eyes, Nico waited for Will's routine morning greeting. He knew it was coming, so why stall it anymore than usual?

"Hey there, Sleepy Head. Did you sleep well?" 

Nico ran his fingers through his messy, raven-haired bedhead. "Well, I was sleeping well until you so rudely decided to wake me. How in the Hades do you get up so early every morning anyways?" 

Will snorted. "I rise with the sun. It's kind of in my blood, you know. Trust me, if I wasn't so worried about you sleeping your life away, I'd be in my bed still. Maybe not sleeping, but just stretching out and soaking up the sun's rays..." 

Again, Nico rolled his eyes. "You're such a dork," he said fondly. 

Will smiled and gave Nico a playful shove, not hard enough to hurt, but just hard enough for Nico to plan to get him back for that later. "Yeah? Well, I'm your dork, and I've got big plans for today. You coming or am I going to have to drag you kicking and screaming?" 

Nico shrugged nonchalantly. "Either way I'm going with you, so I'm losing no matter what." 

Will stuck out his tongue with a mock expression of hurt. "Oh, you just think you're hilarious, don't you? Whatever you say, I'm still your significant other." 

"Try Significant Annoyance." 

Will smiled warmly, and the two stood silently for awhile, reveling in each other's welcome (yet stubborn) presences. Eventually though, Will grew antsy. "Well, we could stand here and bicker back and forth all morning, or we could actually have some fun. I'm giving you twenty minutes or so to get ready, and if I don't see you out here bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, I am going to assume you're in trouble and break and enter." 

The head counselor of the Hades cabin sighed dramatically. "Frankly, I was having fun bickering with you, but I guess I can do bright-eyed by twenty minutes. Bushy-tailed, I'm making no promises." 

"Go get ready, you nerd." 

"Fiiiiine," Nico groaned, turning back to the inside of his dark cabin and stepping inside. The door closed behind him, leaving Will outside to wait once more. Nico slumped against the oak door, brushing his hands across his cheeks. They were warm and sore from hiding smiles.

He walked over to his closet, picking out a Camp Half-Blood shirt that he had recently obtained from the camp store and a pair of black jeans. He strode over to his personal bathroom and waltzed to his shower. 

"What would I do without you, Solace?" 

Nico placed his outfit on the nearby sick and tuned the handle to the shower, causing steaming hot water to erupt from the shower head. He undressed and stepped inside with a sigh of relief. The hot water cascaded over his battle-scarred skin, washing away the soreness from yesterday's training session. 

Maybe waking up to this wasn't so bad after all...

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Three more minutes, di Angelo! You better look like a Greek god when you finally come out of there because I swear you take longer than Drew Tanaka to get ready." 

Nico snorted, throwing his old bomber jacket over his camp T-shirt. "Come on now, you're just being mean. I'm not that bad. Besides, you can't rush... Well, whatever you'd call this." 

Will's teasing voice trailed through the cabin like water over stones. "I'd call it perfection," the blond boy purred. 

Nico attempted to ignore this, running his fingers in an attempt to fix up his appearance just a little bit more. Eventually, he deemed it a lost cause as his hair fell back into its messy place. Soon enough, he was going to look like a Hypnos kid if he couldn't find a way to keep his hair under control. 

"You ever get tired of yelling at my front door and hoping that I'll hear you? I'm sure my neighbors don't appreciate it," Nico called out to Will in amusement. His two neighboring cabins housed two of the most formidable and grumpy counselors in the camp: Butch Walker of the Iris cabin and Damien White of the Nemesis cabin. One day, one of them would snap and go off on Will. It was only a matter of time, and Nico would enjoy every second of it. 

"Butch used to give me Hades for it, but he gave up once he realized the true passion of my love for you," Will responded back dramatically. 

Nico could almost picture Will clutching his heart and leaning against the doorway like a true actor would. He chuckled quietly though in reality, he was quite a bit flustered by that statement. "You damn Apollo kids and your theatrics." 

He slowly slid his silver skull ring over his slender finger and admired it for a bit just to make Will wait even longer. With a flash of satisfied delight, he heard the son of Apollo sigh deeply with frustration. 

"Nicoooo!" Will whined, dragging out his name.

"Alright, alright, hold your hellhounds; I'm coming," Nico walked leisurely to the door, his dagger swinging at his hip. He pushed open the door slowly and was viciously attacked as Will jumped towards him, throwing his arms around Nico and pulling him close. 

The son of Apollo rested his face on Nico's shoulder. "Good morning, Death Boy," he greeted pleasantly. 

If Will had a tail, he'd be wagging it, Nico thought to himself. 

For the longest time since returning to Camp Half-Blood, Will had reminded Nico of a lazy cat resting in the sun without a care in the world. Now that he'd gotten plentiful opportunities to get to know Will better, Nico had decided that he was much more like a clingy, sunshiney golden retriever puppy. 

"Come on, Will. You know I'm not a hugger..." Nico grunted, but despite the protest, he didn't fight against Will's embrace. Nico's eyes closed as he breathed in Will's comforting and familiar scent. He smelled like a clean infirmary and freshly brewed coffee. 

Reluctantly, Will pulled away, giving Nico a mischievous look. "Oh, don't lie. You know you love me." 

Nico sighed deeply, looking off into the distance to feign disinterest in his boyfriend. "Yeah, but I couldn't tell you why."

Will slugged Nico gently, giving Nico yet another opportunity to punch him back later. "Hey, be nice to me. I planned out a fun day for us, so you have no reason to be all gloomy." 

"I mean, I always have a reason to be all gloomy, but I will say that you've got my attention. What did you have in mind for today?" Nico asked with a shrug as if to say 'I'm a son of Hades, what can you do?' 

Nico's boyfriend's blue eyes sparkled with excitement. "What don't I have in mind? I may or may not have handed over my counselor duties to Austin for the day and signed us up for a ton of fun activities. If I remember correctly, we're supposed to do some strawberry picking to start off our amazing day."

"You want a child of death to go off in nature and pick strawberries with you? You're nuts, Solace," the son of Hades griped. 

Will simply giggled causing Nico's olive-skinned face to redden slightly. "You sort of have to be nuts to be friends with Nico di Angelo. Anyways, enough complaining. We gotta get down to the strawberry patch before Cecil shows up and takes all the good ones. That kid can eat." 

Nico nodded in agreement. 

Cecil Markowitz was one of Will's closest friends, and that kid always seemed to be hungry. He was notorious for being one of the only kids who dared to steal food from Lou Ellen Blackstone's, the head counselor of the Hecate cabin and one of Will's other closer friends, food from her tray. 

"A bottomless pit. Well, let's beat him at his own game," Nico stated. He loved a good competition. 

Will grinned, holding out one of his tanned hands to Nico. 

Nico hesitated for only a moment, taking in the abundance of freckles that covered his boyfriend's skin and how perfect Will looked in the early morning sunlight before taking his hand, interlocking their fingers, and following him to the strawberry patch. 

As the two demigods walked, Nico closed his eyes and allowed the sun to wash over him. His highly attentive ears took in the sounds of Camp Half-Blood: birds chirping high above in the sky, demigods milling about and starting their morning routines, and the faint sound of waves washing up against the shore.

The scent of the hearty breakfast at the camp pavilion and wild strawberries that grew in the camp naturally wafted through the air and flooded Nico's senses, filling him with a feeling of safety and comfort. Unknowingly, Nico walked closer to Will, his arm brushing against the other boy's. He turned his head nervously, seeing if Will would drop his hand and leave, but Will's expression was one of pure bliss. 

Nico closed his eyes again and allowed himself to loosen up. 

Will loved him, and he loved Will. That would never change, and today was going to be a good day.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Nico's fingers brushed against a plump, red strawberry. He silently willed himself to try and not kill the fruit as he gently maneuvered it from the vine it grew on. As he took the strawberry in his hand and looked it over for any flaws, Will popped up from behind a particularly dense thicket of strawberries. 

"Hey, looks like you found a good one. You having fun?" The blond hopped over the strawberries to join his companion, a basket full of strawberries in hand. The sunlight caught his golden hair just right, and his bright, blue eyes glimmered. 

Nico huffed, turning his strawberry over in his hand. "As much fun as I can without killing any of these things. It's harder than it looks." 

Will's gaze flickered over to Nico's gathering of strawberries that were resting in a black basket near his feet. "Well, it looks like you're doing just fine. Have you eaten any of them yet? They taste pretty good today for whatever reason. Sweeter than usual, real sweet. Kinda like me," Will winked, causing Nico to roll his eyes. 

"Yeah, no. I was planning on saving them for the harpies. They might make some tarts or something with them."

Will shrugged. "Maybe. I'll admit that I totally didn't think about that before I splurged a little, but you should try at least one of them before you give them away." 

Nico frowned. "I'm not one for sweet things..." 

The son of Apollo placed a hand on Nico's shoulder and looked at the strawberry in his hand. "Aw come on, Nico. Look at the way this little guy is looking at you. He's basically pleading for you to eat him. I'll bet he's delicious." 

Nico snorted in amusement. "Don't be weird." 

Will threw up his hands. "I'm sorry that I can understand what strawberries are thinking and you can't." 

A more audible laugh came from Nico this time. "I'm pretty sure you're no green thumb of Demeter, and even if you could understand the strawberry, I highly doubt it would be wanting to be devoured." 

Will flicked Nico's nose. "You are one argumentative guy." 

Nico raised an eyebrow. "If I eat this stupid strawberry, will you be happy?" 

"Extremely happy because you'd be doing it just for wittle 'ole me," Will beamed, fluttering his eyelashes.

Nico groaned. "Well, I better eat it before you make me change my mind then. Me doing something nice for you is not on my usual agenda," and with that, he hesitantly brought the fruit to his mouth and took a small bite. Instantly, the powerfully sweet flavor of the sun-soaked strawberry melted in his mouth, swamping his taste buds. He tried to hide his pleased surprise with indifference. "Hm." 

Will tilted his head. "Hm?" 

"Not bad." 

The son of Apollo shook his head, his golden locks tumbling about his freckled face. "You're impossible." 

"I like to think I'm delightfully complex," Nico responded, crossing his arms.

Will snorted, his eyes crinkling up in the corner. Apparently Nico wasn't the only one who tried to hide how happy the other boy made them feel. "Oh yeah? Well, Mr Rubik's Cube, let's go try your hand at arts and crafts. It's next on our list." 

Nico finished off his strawberry, drawing his tongue over his bottom lip deliberately. He flicked the fruit's green leaves away and grabbed his basket. The son of Hades joined Will, and the two began to walk towards the arts and crafts pavilion. "I swear you're trying to kill me, Solace. Aren't you supposed to be my doctor? Know what's best for me and all?" 

Nodding his head, Will replied in a cool voice. "Of course I am, and what's best for you is not making me angry. You know what that means, right?"

The Italian son of Hades gave Will a half hearted glare. "Let me guess. Arts and crafts?" 

Again, Will nodded. "Arts and crafts," he agreed. "Follow me."

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Look, Nico, I made a snowflake!" 

Will's cheery voice brought Nico back to Earth, and he turned his head to see his boyfriend looking at him through a hole in his fractal artwork. The paper was blue and spotted with white, and it was cut very precisely. 

Nico leaned his head back, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I swear you are five years old." 

The paper snowflake was placed back on the table beneath Will, and the oh so creative son of Apollo stuck out his tongue indignantly. "Well, you, for one, definitely act your age: your real age. Crotchety old man." 

"Oh, you want me to play your little game? Alright then, I'll one up your snowflake with..." Nico quickly grabbed a sheet of red paper and shiny scissors and snipped away at the paper determinedly. "This," He held up his masterpiece: a bright red paper heart. 

Will squished his own cheeks together, his eyes sparkling. "Aw, Neeks, that is so cute!" 

Nico scoffed, looking at the heart with his lip curled back in disgust. "It's not even anatomically correct," he complained. 

Suddenly, a light object bumped into the side of his head before crashing to the table, and Nico looked down to see a pathetically folded paper airplane beneath him. 

"Oh, real mature," Nico huffed, plucking the plane from the table and inspecting it closely. "You didn't even make the wings right, doofus." 

Will laughed joyfully. "It still hit its mark." 

"Oh, just you wait, Solace. You've made the child of death angry."

"Oh, have I?" Will asked innocently. "Will he spare me because he is merciful, and I'm his favorite?"

"Self proclaimed favorite," Nico corrected, smoothing out the wings of the plane and adjusting the nose. "Take this, Sunshine!" 

Nico tossed the plane towards Will who squeaked and ducked for cover. 

Will peered over the table once the plane had crashed to the floor. His expression was cheeky like a Cheshire Cat's grin. "You missed." 

The son of Hades rose from the table with a playful expression on his face. He tried to steel his glare, but his smile simply wouldn't stay hidden. "Oh, you're gonna regret saying that..." 

"Or am I? See you, Death the Kid!" and with that, Will barreled out from underneath the table and raced out of the arts and crafts pavilion in a flash of blond hair and blue eyes. 

Nico's eyes widened with surprise as he watched Will's departing form in the distance. He hadn't meant to scare Will that badly. Was he going home now? Oh gods... "Where are you-" 

"The lake! Meet me there, and bring life jackets!" 

Being as swift on his feet as he was, Will was soon out of sight and earshot, his voice trailing off in the breeze. 

Nico sighed, throwing his head back. Would he ever get to sit back and relax? Oh, how we wished he was a Hypnos camper, snoring away all day without a care in the world. His eyes glanced over to where Will had been sitting in the pavilion. 

The snowflake that Will had cut so delicately was still sitting where the head counselor had left it. Nico stared at the small blue and white paper for a moment before taking it in his hand and placing it in his pocket. He stood up from his table, grabbing his paper heart and putting it in the same pocket. With that done, he walked out of the pavilion and towards the lake. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Nico clambered into the canoe that rested in the lake's deep blue water, his life jacket feeling stuffy and restricting over his bomber jacket. He'd emptied the contents of his pockets at the edge of the shore, but it didn't make his outfit any less tight around him. He huffed and sidled in between Will's legs. 

"Whose idea was this again?" Nico grumbled.

"Mine," Will answered earnestly, handing Nico a wooden paddle. 

Nico took the paddle and dipped it into the water to his side. "Ah, I now understand why the idea was so terrible." 

"Oh, hush up and get paddling," Will snorted, beginning to do just as he'd said. 

The canoe began moving forward in the water with the power of the two boys paddling. Quietly, the two head counselors took in the sights of the lake.

Seagulls squawked overhead, their heads swiveling back and forth as they combed the beach for a possible meal. Naiads were splashing in the deeper part of the lake with sparkling seashells adorning their hair and outfits. A few demigods were walking along the shallows, hand in hand as they searched the sand for shiny things. Some other demigods were playing a game of beach ball, each one of them desperately trying to beat all of the others. 

Unknowingly, Nico found a smile trailing across his lips as he watched everyone having fun. His heart picked up and fluttered at the sight of all the joyful grins and the sound of all the excited giggles and shouts. He was happy when the camp was happy. 

"Aw, Nico, are you smiling?" Will asked, breaking Nico's concentration. His voice was not teasing as per usual. Instead, it was full of fondness and genuine warmth. He looked almost proud of his boyfriend for expressing some natural happiness for once. 

Will's free hand reached out and ruffled Nico's fluffy black hair playfully. 

Nico huffed, blowing a puff of air at his now even messier than before hair. "Absolutely not. Perish the thought."

"Okay, sure," Will stated nonchalantly before sending a tiny bit of water at Nico with a harder than usual splash of his paddle. "Oops!" he cried out innocently. 

The son of Hades shot away from Will. "Hey!" 

Will gave Nico a challenging look. "Wha'cha gonna do about it?" 

Nico darkened his gaze intensely, and for just a moment, Will looked afraid that he had actually hurt Nico's feelings. The sight of Will looking so guilty made Nico lose it though, and his laugh shattered his serious facade. He shoved a huge wave of water at Will who sat back in surprise as he was drenched. 

It took only a split second before Will recognized Nico was not at all mad, and he brightened immediately. 

An intense water war ensued with laughs, giggles, and plenty of splashing. Nico's waterlogged bomber jacket was weighing him down noticeably, but he fought valiantly against the traitorous son of Apollo that dared to share a canoe with him. The fight went on for awhile before Nico leaned forward too quickly, and the entire canoe flipped, plunging the two boys into the cold water. 

Nico flailed his limbs until he broke the surface, gasping from the shock of the cold. His brown eyes immediately searched for Will's familiar face, and when he didn't spot him anywhere, he grew very worried. 

"W-Will-"

Before Nico could even get the name out, Will emerged from the water, shaking his head like a dog. His wavy blond hair tossed water droplets every which way. The son of Apollo swam forward and threw his arms over the overturned canoe and, upon spotting Nico, gave him a mischievous look.

"Now look what you've done." 

Nico's eyes widened with faux hurt. "What I've done? You think The Lord of Darkness would ever do anything bad? I'm hurt, really." 

Will's bright smile sent a shiver of warmth down Nico's soaked back. "You called yourself The Lord of Darkness!" 

"Yeah, well don't get used to it," the son of death himself rolled his eyes, swimming over to the canoe and sidling up beside Will. He clutched the floating wood and gave the shore off in the distance a pained look."Help me get this thing back to shore." 

Will nodded, pushing his weight up against the canoe towards the sand in the distance. Despite moving in this direction, his gaze never left Nico's face. "You know, you're cute when you've just fallen out of a canoe." 

There was no way for Nico to bring his palm to his face, so the best he could do was rest his face on the top of the canoe to conceal his blushing. "Shut up and help me push this, you major dork."

"Will do."

\-----------------------------------------------------------

After a bit of scolding from Woodrow the satyr who had been watching all of the canoeing tomfoolery go down, the two boys headed down to the Apollo cabin to dry off and change their clothes. 

Since Nico's clothes were all in his own cabin, Will lent him one of his own camp shirts. It was slightly big on him (which Will found adorable) and Nico couldn't help but notice it smelled like Will. 

Will looked at Nico with an expression that read 'You're all mine' which made Nico blush even deeper. Nico wished, for once, that his complexion wasn't so pale. It was so easy to see when he was flustered. 

"Well, now that we're dry, do you feel up to another activity?" Will asked, drawing a hand through his drying hair. 

Nico breathed deeply, clutching at his chest. "I don't know if I can take it," he moaned dramatically though it was beginning to be a true statement. He was tired beyond tired now that he was all dry and warm, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his coffin bed and sleep for days.

Despite this, Will was not deterred. He simply giggled once more. (Nico was beginning to think that the sound of Will giggling was one of his all time favorite noises.) "Oh, don't worry. I'm pretty sure you can handle this one. We're gonna go get some lunch before we do it though. You up for some food?" 

Nico nodded quickly. He hadn't eaten anything aside from that one strawberry all day.

"Perfect," Will chirped. "It's spaghetti today, and if you would have said no, I would have doubted your true Italian roots." 

"How truly sterotypical... I love spaghetti," Nico said, cocking an eyebrow in amusement. He followed Will out of the Apollo cabin and to the dining pavilion, thinking about the day that he'd had and what Will could possibly want to do next. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------

The camp meals always tasted better to Nico when he had company. He didn't know why that was exactly, but it seemed like the thought of eating on his own soured the taste of his food, thus making it inedible. Usually this simply meant that Nico would go without a meal, and the gods would be receiving a larger than usual offering from him. Ever since Nico had met Will though, eating times didn't seem as bad.

"Man, the harpies really outdid themselves this time. I haven't had spaghetti that good since... Well, since the last time the harpies made spaghetti for lunch," Will rambled, rubbing his stomach with a pleased expression on his face. "What about you, Death Boy? Did you dig today's lunch as much as I did?"

Nico shrugged. "I mean, it was definitely edible..." 

Will laughed. "I should hope so. Anyways, did you get your fill then?" 

Nico nodded, clutching at his own stomach this time. "Oh, definitely. In fact, I think I overdid it a little bit." 

"Well, I'm glad you're full. We still have our last activity for the day yet, and I have to say, I've been looking forward to this one all day," Will rose up from his seat at the Apollo cabin's table and bounced on his heels excitedly. 

Nico followed suit, standing up and walking over to Will. He surveyed the camp for any other activities that the son of Apollo might have in mind. Nico didn't especially care what it was unless it was something music related. For being a child of Apollo, Will could not play an instrument nor keep a melody to save his live. 

"What in the world could you possibly want to do now? Train?" the Hades head counselor asked. He stretched his arms above his head and let out a sigh of relief as the tension in his muscles from his dip in the lake began to loosen up.

Will looked rather sneaky. Grabbing Nico's hand, he began to lead the way towards the inner part of camp. "You'll see. I have a feeling you'll like this one." 

As the two boys strode further into camp, Nico took in Will's expression. What did he mean 'I have a feeling you'll like this one?' Nico liked anything and everything that had to do with Will. Did Will think that he didn't enjoy his company?

"You know I really appreciate all of these days out that you plan for me," Nico started cautiously. "And I do enjoy myself... A lot. It's a lot of fun honestly." 

"Oh, I know you do. I didn't mean that I thought you didn't because even if you didn't, I'd still drag you along. Anyways, we're almost there. Hope you're ready."

Nico looked up, expecting to see the arena or the armory. Instead, his eyes landed upon his own cabin: Cabin 13. The black obsidian walls were illuminated by the large, green flames of the torches that set near the doorway. Above the door itself sat a large skull with bejeweled eye sockets (the jewels had been provided by Nico's half sister, Hazel Levesque.) 

"What are we doing here, Will? Did you take a wrong turn, or do I need to pick something up from the cabin quick?" Nico questioned, giving Will a curious look. 

Will shook his head. "Nah, we're at the right place. Come on," and with that, he lead the way into the Hades cabin just as confidently as if it were his own cabin. Not even giving the creepy skull a second glance, he pushed open the door and lead Nico inside. 

It was still just as dark in the cabin as Nico remembered it from this morning. He couldn't see Will in front of him anymore, and, for once, the son of Hades wished that he had windows in this cabin to bring in even just the littlest amount of light. He needed to see Will.

Will let go of Nico's hand gently, and Nico flailed about in the darkness anxiously, feeling for his boyfriend in the midnight black interior. He heard the sound of shuffling further inside of the cabin, and finally Will's voice called out almost lazily. 

"I'm over here, Neeks; don't worry. I'm not leaving you. Just follow my voice..." Will began to hum quietly and comfortingly. 

Nico recognized this tune; it was an old Italian lullaby that his mother, Maria had sung to him so very long ago. The son of Hades often sang this to himself when he was stressed out or afraid. Usually, he would mumble it to himself at counselor meetings when tensions broke out among the cabins. Previously, he'd thought that no one else was paying him enough mind to be listening, but now it seemed that he was wrong. Will had heard him and remembered every little lilting note. 

Will might not have been an amazing singer, but he managed to keep the melody while he hummed. The sound of the lullaby flowed through the cabin, putting Nico into a sleepy trance. Slowly, step by step, Nico made his way towards the sound of his boyfriend's voice.

"That's it. You're almost there," Will murmured before continuing to hum. 

Nico kept walking forward until his legs touched softly against a hard, wooden side of something that could only have been one of his coffin beds. This one was noticeably better, a double casket if you will, and Nico had never used it before in his life. This time, however, it seemed that someone else was. 

As the song faded away, Will snapped his fingers, and a small light appeared at his fingertips, illuminating his face at last. The son of Apollo was reclining against the wall of the double coffin. He was wrapped up in the red sheets, and his eyes were half-lidded. "Surprise," his murmured. "I scheduled us a nap time."

A smile crawled up Nico's face, and he hesitantly crawled into the bed with Will. It was a bit of a tight squeeze with Will as sprawled out as he was, but Nico's boyfriend wrapped an arm around Nico and drew him close to his side. Nico cuddled up against Will's body, his face nestling in his chest. He drew in a deep breath and relaxed.

This was the most amount of physical contact Nico had ever had before, and it was definitely overwhelming, but in a good way. He knew that he could trust Will and that he would never let any harm come to him. He felt safe next to him, and as he slowed his breathing and began to drift off, he mulled over how much Will had planned for him to make his day fun and exciting. No one had ever done that for Nico before.

"I love you," Nico whispered, and he really meant it.

Will leaned forward and planted a warm kiss on Nico's forehead. He snapped his fingers again, allowing the light to shut off and for darkness to swath over the two boys once more. 

As sleep began to overtake Nico, he head the one sentence that he'd been longing to hear for so long from someone, anyone who actually meant it. 

Will deepened his breathing and ran his hand along Nico's side. Quietly, he spoke, his voice full of intense emotion. 

"I love you too."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally I got a canon x canon request. In fact, it was my first canon x canon request I've received since opening these requests! Rather surprising in my opinion, especially due to all of the shipping that happens in the fandom, but I really do enjoy writing oc x canon and bringing other people's ocs to life as well. Anyways, it was nice to have some familiar faces for once, and I do believe this is the first Solangelo-centric piece of literature I have ever written. I know it's right up there with Percabeth and Jasiper for the favorite shippings, so I hope this one will be a hit. Hope you guys like it!


	10. Luke Castellan x Percy Jackson 'A State of Oblivion'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Percy and Luke have been training buddies ever since Percy arrived at camp, but is it possible that they might be something more in the near future?

'A State of Oblivion'

"Come at me again and this time put some effort into it!" 

Luke Castellan's deep voice reverberated through the open arena, sending tremors down his training opponent's back. The blond-haired Hermes cabin counselor did not look to be all that worried about his competition. His disposition was relaxed and not at all tense. In fact, he looked much like a cat lounging about in the sunlight with the only hint of its alertness being the rapid twitching of its tail. 

Across the sandy arena, the son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson was heaving for breath. Sweat was dripping down his forehead, and he blinked it away from his sea green eyes. His unruly jet black hair was plastered to his face. Small nicks and bruises littered Percy's arms and torso, and small spots of scarlet blood stained his Camp Half-Blood T-shirt. He looked to be completely exhausted, but he managed to keep himself steady on his feet. 

Percy and his faithful battle trainer had been at it for hours now, and every bone and muscle in Percy's body burned, but he wouldn't give up just yet. He wanted desperately to prove himself to the heroic and powerful Luke and possibly even impress him, so he kept up the fight. 

Darting forward with surprising speed and agility, Percy swung out his celestial bronze sword again. He rocketed out of Luke's reach before the taller boy could hit him back and deflected one of his attacks. He ducked over to the side and knocked Luke in the hip, causing him to stumble forward. With Luke unsteady, Percy rammed into him and sent the counselor's sword skittering across the arena from his battle worn hands. Rolling between Luke's legs, Percy snatched up Luke's discarded sword and erupted from the ground with a sword in each hand. 

A great clamor began to ring out from the growing number of spectating demigods as they cheered Percy on. Alas, no sooner had the encouragement begun, Luke came back to his senses. 

Percy lunged towards Luke for a double swipe with the swords, but Luke acted quicker. The counselor grabbed one of Percy's arms, sent a well-aimed kick at the smaller boy's stomach, and sent him sprawling to the ground. Percy's sword returned back to Percy's pocket in pen form once again, but Luke's sword skidded across the ground and stopped with the sharp point just barely touching Percy's nose. 

'Oohs' rang out from the crowd as they cringed sympathetically for the poor boy. 

As Percy wheezed, attempting to catch his breath while he held his sore stomach, he frowned. He'd been so close to winning this time. If Luke was just a little less amazing...

The crunching sound of sneakers on sand announced the approach of someone coming closer to the injured son of Poseidon. A shadow loomed over him, blocking out the bright sun above.

Percy looked up, half-expecting to see Clarisse La Rue, the counselor of the Ares cabin, laughing at him for losing to Luke once again even after they had been training together all day, but instead of the rough and tumble girl, Luke was there. 

Luke's blue eyes were twinkling with a mix of amusement and interest. His sneaky side smile that was shared by all of the children of Hermes enunciated the thick, pale scar that ran from just below his eye to his chin. His short blond hair was catching the sunlight, and his tanned skin seemed to shimmer like that of an Apollo camper's. He looked down at Percy for a long while before offering him a hand. 

Staring at Luke for a moment before taking his hand and standing up, Percy wondered if Luke had always looked this heroic. Maybe the sunlight was making him seem more handsome, or perhaps it was all the blood rushing to Percy's head from the fall...

Percy doubled over with a muffled groan, clutching at his stomach. He stumbled a bit on his feet before Luke stopped him by placing a firm hand on his shoulder. 

"Careful there, Jackson. Wouldn't want you to hurt that pretty face of yours," Luke said silkily, causing Percy to roll his eyes. 

"Yeah, yeah, well I almost had you this time," the smaller boy insisted indignantly. He hated the fact that he had lost yet again. It was as if Luke was simply unbeatable. 

Luke nodded slowly. "You did. I'll admit it, you're doing really well. Showing lots of improvement." The compliments were completely sincere, rolling off of Luke's tongue with ease. 

The fire in Percy's heart reignited at the sound of Luke's praise. Beating Luke might be hard, but it wasn't impossible. He's beat him someday yet. "Next time, I'm gonna win for sure!" he announced passionately. 

The sideways smirk on Luke's face turned fond. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you try. Until then, all you can do is practice, practice, practice... and we've got all day to do it." 

Percy nodded, catching the hint that it was time for yet another round of sword-fighting. He began to walk forward towards the middle of the arena once again, but he swayed dizzily and nearly fell to the ground. Luckily, Luke raced over just in time to catch him before he hit the dusty earth beneath him. 

"Whoa there! First time on your new feet, Jackson?" Luke said only somewhat jokingly. His eyes held a great lot of concern in them, but his tone stayed teasing. 

"I guess my legs just gave out. Sorry Luke, but thanks for catching me," Percy mumbled, feeling even more embarrassed than he had felt when Luke had knocked him to the ground. What kind of demigod was he if he couldn't even stay on his own two feet? 

Luke snorted. "I wouldn't have to keep catching you if you would stop falling for me." 

Percy's ocean-colored eyes blinked obliviously. What was that supposed to mean? "I didn't fall that much today. Am I really that clumsy?" 

A chuckle met Percy's question. Luke grinned, flashing his pearly whites. "You're cute when you're confused, you know?" His expression then warped to one of concern. "But seriously, are you feeling alright? Maybe we should call it a day. You should go to the infirmary and get some ambrosia or nectar. I was kind of rough on you today, but it was only because I thought you could handle it." 

Percy grimaced. He hated when the other campers doubted him simply because he was new. He was capable of much more than they thought he was. "I'm fine, Luke. Just a little light-headed. I don't expect you to be easy on me just because I'm new around here." 

"Even so, I still want you to check in with the Apollo cabin. You might be more hurt than you'd like to admit, and I don't want that to be your excuse to get out of your training tomorrow." 

The son of Poseidon's eyes widened with horror. "I'd never skip training with you!" 

"Good because between you and me..." Luke looked around before leaning forward to whisper in Percy's ear. "I think you're the most promising fighter here. You're strong, Jackson, very strong. I look forward to seeing how much more improvement we can make together with time."

Percy nodded determinedly. He wanted to be the best hero the camp had ever seen and with Luke's help, that just might be possible. "Your training is really helping me, Luke. I can't wait until I get to be the best that I can! I'll be killing monsters left and right. They won't even know what hit them before they crumble to dust and go back to Tartarus where they belong!" 

For just a moment, a different kind of light sparkled in Luke's eyes; something that reminded Percy of how his mother looked at him whenever he managed to pull a good test grade, or pass a class. It was like... pride? Adoration? ...love? 

Percy grinned up at Luke. He must have made Luke really happy.

"Words can't express how much I love you, Jackson," Luke murmured just loud enough to be audible to the rest of the crowd.

Percy blinked. It'd been such a long time since anyone had said they loved him. He hadn't heard those words since his mother had... "I, uh, thank you," he said, blushing shyly. He'd always wanted an older brother, and Luke was the closest thing to that that he would ever have. It felt good that Luke cared about him so much.

Luke nodded. Suddenly, he let go of Percy and allowed him to drop to the ground with a thud. He began walking away, feeling Percy's questioning gaze on his back. 

The smaller boy was completely bewildered by this encounter. "Uh, see you tomorrow!" 

Luke simply waved Percy off with a hand, not even bothering to turn around. 

Percy scrambled to his feet and noticed that everyone was staring at him. He brushed the sand off of his clothes and limped off in the direction of the infirmary. Maybe Luke was right. I am pretty sore, he thought to himself. 

As he made his way to the infirmary, the sound of someone racing up to his side cut through the camp. He turned his head to see his best friend, Grover Underwood. 

The satyr's curly brown hair was hanging it his face haphazardly, and it was a wonder that he could even see who he was looking at. His goat tail flickered back and forth nervously as per usual, and Grover chewed on his bottom lip. "Percy, are you okay?" 

Percy nodded. "Hey, Grover. Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. I just got a little too into training with Luke today and-" 

"I know. I was there. You guys were really going at it!" Grover let out an anxious bleat. "Uh, P-Percy, have you noticed anything strange about Luke lately? I mean, I don't meant to be rude or weird or anything, I was just-"

Percy held up a hand just like Luke had done, silencing the shaking satyr almost immediately. "Relax, Grover. I mean, I guess I can kinda see where you're coming from, but I'm sure it's nothing. Luke is a pretty level-headed guy from what I've seen. I'm sure he's fine, but if you're worried, maybe you should go talk to him." 

Grover lowered his head sheepishly. "That's not what I m-meant..." 

The son of Poseidon was confused now. He opened his mouth to question Grover further, but his friend cut him off. 

"Oh! I think I hear that one pretty dryad calling to me! You know... the one that I've had my eye on for awhile now. Can't risk making her mad at me! Gotta go, man!" And with that, Grover hightailed it towards the woods and disappeared behind a tree... well, almost. Percy could still see his tail from where he was hiding, but he simply rolled his eyee, shook his head, and kept moving on.

\------------------------------------------

Percy brought a spoonful of ambrosia to his mouth and chewed thoughtfully. It tasted like his mother's freshly-baked, warm chocolate chip cookies as per usual. He felt his tight muscles begin to relax as warmth flooded through his weary body. Blinking gratefully, he wiped his mouth. "Thanks, Will. I really appreciate your help, dude." 

A short, young boy with wavy blond hair and freckles galore gave Percy a gap-toothed grin. "No problem, Percy! Lee says I'm gonna be the best healer in the cabin someday!" 

"I'm sure you will be, kiddo," Percy reassured the young Apollo boy, reaching forward and ruffling his hair. 

Will giggled and skipped off to clean up the spoon and bowl of ambrosia in the infirmary's sink while Percy stood up and stretched. His back crackled, and he sighed blissfully. Luke had definitely been right. He felt much better now, almost ready to go off and train some more. 

Waving to Will on his way out, Percy nearly ran smack dab into Annabeth who had been standing in the doorway. She looked deep in thought, but when Percy's body collided with hers, she looked downright murderous. 

"Hey, watch it- Oh, it's you, Percy. I was looking for you."

Percy raised an eyebrow incredulously. "You were looking for me?" Annabeth acted like she hated Percy. Why in the world would she be looking for him? Percy wondered faintly if he was in trouble. 

"Shut up and follow me."

Percy rolled his eyes at Annabeth's snappiness, but followed her anyways. 

The blonde daughter of Athena lead the way to the lake nearby only stopped when her sneakers touched the edge of the shore. She turned to Percy and looked him up and down as if mentally willing herself to say what she needed to. 

Blushing self-consciously, Percy wondered if he had something stuck in his teeth or something. Usually the only time Annabeth wanted to talk to him was when she insulted him. After training all day, Percy didn't doubt hat he had a million things out of whack with his appearance. "So... are you gonna tell me what you dragged me out here for, or not? I'm not supposed to guess, am I?" 

Annabeth rolled her stormy gray eyes. "If I wanted you to guess, we'd be here all night. No, I just wanted to... talk..." 

Percy cocked an arched eyebrow, urging Annabeth to continue and get this awkward ordeal over with. "About...?"

The daughter of Athena looked down as a wave slowly lapped at her shoes, soaking them.

Seagulls cawed loudly overhead, making a raucous noise. The crashing of waves in the far off distance echoed through the quietness of the air.

Camp Half-Blood usually wasn't thing quiet at this time of day, and Percy wondered if something bad was about to happen. He clenched and unclenched his fists apprehensively, his gaze darting around to look for any possible threats. He wished Annabeth would just get on with it.

Finally, it was as if his silent wish had been granted. Annabeth took a deep breath and spoke. "I'm sure you've noticed how differently he's been acting around you lately..." 

Percy's gaze snapped back to Annabeth, scared of making her angry though he had no idea what she was talking about. He tilted his head in confusion. "Who?" 

Annabeth's eyes narrowed irritably. "You know who I mean," she growled. 

Shaking his head from side to side, Percy frowned. "No... I don't think I do... Sorry?" 

For just a brief second, there was a fire blazing in Annabeth's eyes, and Percy held his hands up defensively. The anger lingers for just a moment before Annabeth sighed heavily and looked down at the ground once more. 

"I'm talking about Luke, you idiot..." she muttered almost inaudibly. 

Percy relaxed slightly now that Annabeth didn't look quite so murderous, but he was even more confused than he was before. "Why is everyone so obsessed with Luke lately? I mean, no offense, but I just got a talk from Grover about it today too."

Annabeth looked up quickly. "I told him not to get involved," she spat poisonously before, once again, snapping her gaze to the ground as if it were the mots interesting thing on the planet. "Ao, I guess you know what I was going to say then, right?" 

Annoyed now, Percy's brows knit together. "Ah, no, not really. All Grover asked me was if I'd noticed Luke acting differently recently, and I mean, kind of, but I thought that was just because we were becoming better friends." 

Shaking her head, Annabeth looked up at Percy with disbelief. "You seriously think that's what's happening?" 

"Well, I mean, yeah. Duh?" Percy held up his arms. "What's the big deal? He just cares about me, that's all." 

Another flash of anger shot across Annabeth's gray eyes. "I can't believe how much of an oblivious idiot you are, Percy Jackson." She said it more like it was a fact than a personal opinion.

Now Percy was truly angry. "Hey, don't call me an idiot because you and Grover decided to start acting all weird all of a sudden! It's not my fault that you're jealous of me!" 

Annabeth's face turned red. "Jealous? Who said anything about being jealous? Why would I be jealous?" 

Percy was a bit flustered. "That... wasn't supposed to come out like that. I meant that you and Grover are jealous because I'm better friends with Luke than you are. I don't see why that bothers you both so much. Grover knows that he'll always be my best friend, and you don't even like me, so what does it matter to you?" 

Chewing on her bottom lip, Annabeth winced. "Percy, were you not listening to what Luke was saying at practice today?" 

Percy crossed his arms grumpily. "Of course I was listening. It's kind of rude not to listen when the one person who is in charge of teaching you is talking. Even I'm not that ADD." 

Annabeth's eyes began to well up with hot tears though Percy had no idea why. "What do you think he meant when he told you not to hurt your 'pretty face?'" 

A shrug was Percy's answer. "He was just picking on me. All of the guys in camp do that. I mean, you should have heard what Beckendorf said to me that other day-"

"And when he complimented you the way that he did?" Annabeth asked.

"I've been practicing. My moves have been improving, and he's noticing it. What's the big deal?" 

Annabeth ignored Percy's answer and continued on with her interrogation. "'I wouldn't have to keep catching you if you stopped falling for me?' What do you think that meant?" 

Percy tapped his foot rapidly. He was growing more and more irritated by the second. He didn't understand the point that Annabeth was trying so desperately to make. "So I'm not the most graceful kid on the planet. Who care? It's not like you've never fallen before." 

Annabeth winced more noticeably at that. Her voice grew high-pitched with distress. "He said you were cute when you were confused!" 

"I already told you that us guys pick on each-"

"'Words cannot express how much I love you, Jackson?!' What do you think that means, Percy?!" Annabeth shouted, her voice cracking.

Percy yelled just as loudly right back at her. "That he cares about me more than anyone else ever has! That he's the closes thing to a family that I have left!" 

"He's in love with you, Percy!" 

As soon as the words left Annabeth's lips, she went to cover her mouth, but she allowed her hands to drop back down to her side instead. She looked away with her nose in the air, sniffling. 

Percy blinked, processing for a moment. The words kept echoing in his head. 

He's in love with you.

He's in love with you. 

He's in love with you. 

"He's... Luke's... in love with me?" 

"You finally got it, Seaweed Brain," Annabeth whimpered. "Took you long enough." 

It was very near silent for a long while with not even the waves or the seagulls making noise anymore. Finally, Percy cleared his throat.

"I, uh... I never knew that... I never would have though that..." He looked up at Annabeth desperately, hoping that even after all of this confusion, she would still be kind enough to give him some of her wise advice. "I don't know how to feel about it." 

Annabeth frowned, hugging herself tightly. "Well, you better make up your mind soon because look at who's coming your way." 

As Percy turned on his heels, Annabeth ran off in the direction of the divine cabins, tears flooding down her face. Percy would have normally raced after her in attempt to comfort her at the very least, but now he was frozen.

None other than Luke Castellan was making his way down the beach with the same sneaky smile on his face as usual. He waved to Percy deliberately, but Percy couldn't force himself to wave back. How could he even face Luke after what he's juts discovered? He frankly still hadn't wrapped his head around it quite yet.

As Luke drew closer, the son of Hermes turned his gaze in the direction of the cabins. "Good to see you out and about, Jackson. What that Annabeth I just was with you not too long ago?" 

Percy nodded slowly, control of his movement returning. "Y-yeah, she, uh, wanted to talk. And thanks." 

Luke nodded. "No problem. She looked pretty upset when I saw her running off like that. What did she want to talk to you about?" He turned to face Percy and frowned with apparent concern. "Damn, Percy, you're whiter than a ghost.It must have been something pretty heavy." 

Flinching, Percy shook his head. "Oh no, it was, uh, nothing. She was just, um, jealous that I was doing better than her in sword-fighting recently. I guess she'd really got a problem with her pride..." he lied. 

The Hermes counselor chuckled. "She's always been competitive, that one. Are you sure that's all she said to you though? You look pretty shaken up." 

Percy gulped. He'd been hoping that answer would be enough to satisfy the older boy. He was clearly wiser than he'd originally though. "I, uh, guess she said something else..." 

Now Luke looked even more interested. "Oh? And what would that be?" He placed a hand on Percy's shoulder, and the smaller boy cringed at the physical contact. "You know you can tell me anything, right? I'm here for you, Percy." 

Before he could even try to stop himself, the words came flooding from Percy's mouth. "She told me that you're in love with me!" Immediately, he covered his mouth and looked up at Luke with wide, fearful eyes. 

Luke's expression hardened, but his smile somehow stayed put. It was very unnerving. "Man, Annabeth sure likes to talk. Someday she's gonna have to learn that some secrets are best kept just that; a secret." 

Percy swallowed his spit. He'd forgotten how intense that Luke could be. He wanted to say something to defend Annabeth, or comfort Luke, or maybe even both at the same time, but no other words would come out anymore. 

The blond counselor sighed, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath before once again meeting Percy's gaze. "Well, you know Annabeth's a smart girl. She knows everything, but that doesn't mean that she's always right. What do you think? Was she right or wrong, Jackson?" 

Percy's heartbeat quickened in his chest. What was the right answer? Which one would keep Annabeth safe and himself out of an awkward situation? "I-I don't know anymore." With that, he dropped his gaze, his face heating up.

Luke hummed to himself quietly in the otherwise quiet. The only other noised was the pounding of Percy's heart. 

Suddenly, the battle worn hand that had been resting on Percy's shoulder diligently cupped the smaller boy's chin and brought his face up to look Luke dead in the eyes. 

Percy's own eyes widened, and his breath caught sharply in his throat. He could feel Luke's hot breaths on his face. 

"What would you do if I was in love with you? What would you say? How would you feel?" Luke mused, leaning closer and closer to Percy until their noses were nearly touching.

"L-Luke, I don't-"

Before Percy could finish that thought, Luke interrupted him by pressing his lips to the younger boy's forcefully. The blond kissed him with dominance, taking complete control the entire time. When he finally pulled back, it felt like all of the blood had drained from Percy's face. 

Luke looked Percy over and chuckled, letting go of Percy's chin and putting his strong arms behind his head. He turned on his heels and began to walk away from the shore just as a wave lolled lazily across the sand, completely soaking Percy's sneakers.

Usually the son of Poseidon could control if he got wet or not when water touched him, but at this time, he simply couldn't think straight enough to put his mind to it. He watched Luke depart and as he began to fade from Percy's line of vision, the blond counselor called out cheerfully, "See you at training tomorrow!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Birthday, Percy!


	11. Travis Stoll - Pheonix Williamson x Connor Stoll 'Oh, those Stolls'

Pheonix Williamson was an interesting individual. At age sixteen, she was quite the sight to behold. Her wispy hair was the color of black coffee and feathered down to her shoulders, but not much further past them. She had incredibly striking eyes that were nearly impossible to look away from. They were a pretty violet in coloration and in the swirling depths of them, tiny specks of gold swam. She had porcelain skin, perfectly arched eyebrows that left her in a constant state of looking amused, and pert, pink lips. Unfortunately though, her looks were often looked past whenever her parentage was brought to attention. 

She was one of the only two demigod children of the Greek goddess of magic, Hecate to have been brought to Camp Half-Blood... and been allowed to stay. There had once been a decent number of Hecate children in camp before their cabin had even been considered, but they were all long gone now. Pheonix and her sister, Lou Ellen Blackstone were all that were left. 

Lou Ellen was also a very unique creature. She had very pale skin that almost glowed in the moonlight, and her hair was naturally darker than the night sky. She dyed her hair constantly however and the color of the month happened to be a dark plum that brought even more attention to her equally as striking emerald eyes. She was a firecracker personality-wise with random outbursts of adventurous and mischievous curiosity. She was headstrong and quite extroverted and contrasted very much in comparison to Pheonix. 

When Pheonix had first arrived at Camp Half-Blood, it had not been very long after the Titan War had been won. Although the great hero, Percy Jackson had made it completely acceptable for children of the minor gods and goddesses to make their new homes in the camp by striking a deal with the powerful god, Zeus, they still faced great prejudice. Well... not all of them.

The Iris and Hebe cabins weren't exactly looked at any differently than any of the other cabins due to their lack of intimidating aspects. Iris children were pretty things that flitted around, casting tiny prisms of light in the blue sky. Hebe children were young and childish beings that weren't exactly capable of much damage unless they were in large groups. Due to these reasons, they were welcomed with open arms. 

The other minor cabins weren't as lucky. The Nemesis, Hypnos, and Hecate cabins were highly distrusted for they were some of the only cabins that were known to have ties to Kronos's side during the war. Hypnos's son, Morpheus had put half of Manhattan under a deep slumber before Percy Jackson had come along to make things right again. One of Nemesis's sons, Ethan Nakamura had been the right hand man of Kronos's host, Luke Castellan. Hecate herself had fought against the demigods of Camp Half-Blood and her son, Alabaster C. Torrington had been the leader of the Kronos demigods. 

The minor god and goddesses' cabins had already been built and set up by the time Pheonix had arrived, and she'd had Lou Ellen to help get her through her first few weeks of camp, but although she was constantly reassured by the other minor demigods that she was just as welcome in camp as any of the Olympian demigods, she could still feel the suspicion and hatred that radiated off of those who fought in the war. 

She felt the glares on her back, but whenever she'd turn to face them, they'd whip around and make sure they weren't caught staring. She'd wince whenever her cabin was skipped over for Capture the Flag once again even though they had been promised 'next time.' She could hear the whispers throughout the camp: 'witch,' 'traitor,' and 'not to be trusted.' 

Pheonix was not a stupid girl. She was completely aware of what other people though of her, so she tried her hardest to follow the rules and fit in with the camp life that best that she could. She didn't have very many friends, well, any friends that she really considered to be close to her that is. 

The minor cabin counselors made sure to make her feel welcome at any time of day or night, but they didn't really bother to get to know her past her parentage. They simply considered her just another poorly treated minor demigod and nothing more. It seemed like everyone in the camp had some kind of perception of her without actually knowing the real her. The simple fact was that she was nothing like what everyone thought she was. 

For one, Pheonix was a very kind-hearted girl. She introduced herself to scared new demigods and helped them settle into their new lives at camp. She gave them tours, helped in the pegasus stables whenever she could, and even often served as a training dummy during sword fighting practice. She was very protective and loving to those she cared about (which consisted of everyone who had ever shown her kindness even in the slightest) but it was Lou Ellen that she cared about in particular. 

As with any other Hecate child, Pheonix could also be mischievous, fierce in battle, and sly, but she tried to keep that side of her hidden so as not to drawn any more suspicion to her than she already had just by merely existing. 

On top of all of this, she was also remarkably clever and resourceful. Unfortunately, virtually none of these traits were known to anyone other than Lou Ellen, who was her number one cheerleader. 

Lou Ellen constantly encouraged her younger sister to get involved with camp activities like strawberry picking, chariot racing, and singing at the campfire, but Pheonix just couldn't bring herself to do it. She was absolutely terrified of saying or doing the wrong thing and messing everything up for all of the rest of the children of minor gods and goddesses. They deserved to be at camp just as much as she did, and she didn't want to be the cause of their unhappiness. Therefore, Pheonix simply kept to herself and her cabin. It was easy to do at first, but as the days went by, it grew harder and harder to hide her true identity. 

One fateful Friday evening when the blazing sun was beginning to dip into the horizon and the clamor of camp was dying down to a dull murmur, a game of Capture the Flag was announced. This would usually be no surprise as Friday evenings were the designated time for games like this, but it was different this time. 

At the command of Chiron himself, the Hecate cabin had been permitted to join in on the Capture the Flag game. The two half-sisters joined the team that consisted of the Hermes, Athena, and Demeter cabins. The designated leaders of the team were Travis Stoll of Hermes and Katie Gardner of Demeter. This would have usually been a good thing as Travis was sneaky and cunning while Katie was hard-working and persistent. Unfortunately, the two had been bickering back and forth for quite some time about their strategy.

Travis wanted to go more on the offensive side of things with his plan being to simply bombard the other team until they could take it no longer and then steal the flag for a victory. Katie on the other hand had a much more defensive plan where protecting their flag was the main point of focus. 

The Athena cabin, who were usually the strategic battle planners, shied away from the two older counselors in fear of choosing a side and tearing the team apart. It was as if no one could come to a logical decision. 

As Pheonix and Lou Ellen listened quietly to the argument with their heads swiveling back and forth as if watching as intense tennis match, Pheonix thought to herself deeply. Both of the sides had good points, but both of them were ignoring the advantages that the other side brought to the table. 

With her sharp mind, Pheonix thought quickly and began to map out a battle plan on a spare sheet of paper that the Athena kids had discarded. The plan was nearly impossible to argue with; it availed both sides of the argument and met in the middle. Pheonix was so lost in her newly designed plan that she hadn't even noticed that Lou Ellen had abandoned her post of watching the argument and was leaning over her shoulder to see what her sister was up to. She nearly jumped out of her skin as Lou Ellen chirped loudly. 

"Wow! That's really smart, Phe! You should totally show them that!" 

At this sudden burst of from the previously silent Hecate counselor, Travis and Katie broke apart and turned two equally fierce glares to the sisters' direction. 

"Show us what?" Katie huffed, blowing her low hanging bangs out of her eyes. "I'm pretty sure that we've all agreed that we're going with my plan. You know, because it makes more sense than Mr Sticky Fingers' strategy." 

Travis rolled his eyes, clearly fed up with the pettiness of the situation. He opened his mouth to defend his own plan, but his eyes met Pheonix's nervous gaze, and his natural curiosity got the best of him. "Well, it's not gonna hurt us to check it out," he stated, walking over slowly. 

Katie crossed her arms and looked down at the ground. "I guess you're right..." 

Pheonix tensed visibly as Travis ushered Lou Ellen out of his way and looked down at the battle plan in Pheonix's shaking hands. The daughter of Hecate could feel his breath on her shoulder and something about being so close to this boy made her pulse race, but she simply swallowed her spit and kept quiet. 

Travis inspected the plan thoroughly and was almost silent for quite some time (highly unusual for a child of Hermes) aside from humming to himself nearly inaudibly. When he finally stepped back, his sky blue eyes were wide. 

Pheonix was usually quite skilled at reading people's expressions, but the look on Travis's face was difficult to decipher. It almost looked as if he was... impressed.

"Katie, I think we just found our new strategy," Travis finally managed, clasping a hand on Pheonix's shoulder. Pheonix felt blush blaze across her face, and a small squeak nearly escaped her lips. 

Katie's soil colored eyes blinked slowly. "It can't be that great... can it?" 

Malcolm Pace of the Athena cabin slithered through the crowd, apologizing shyly to everyone he bumped into. "Here, let me take a look." He held out a hand toward Pheonix's paper. "May I?" he asked politely. 

Pheonix nodded and handed over her plan, her face still blazing from Travis's touch. 

Malcolm inspect the plan and, with time, his eyes widened with surprise. "This is brilliant. It's pretty much foolproof!" 

Katie didn't look to happy at this, but she held out a hand to see it anyways. Malcolm gave it to her sheepishly. Once the daughter of Demeter had looked it over, she too reluctantly nodded. "It does look pretty smart." 

Travis turned a friendly smile to Pheonix. "Well, there you have it. We're gonna be following your battle plan." 

Before Pheonix could even manage a single word, Travis clapped his hands together, causing her to jump. "We don't have much time left though. Let's get to work on setting this bad boy up. Let's go everyone. Hustle, hustle!" 

The demigods of Travis and Katie's team, who had been previously milling around, lined up in an orderly fashion in front of Katie to see where their position in Pheonix's plan would be. Travis stayed behind though. He looked at Pheonix with great interest. 

"Whats you're name?" asked the older counselor. "I don't think we've ever formally met before."

"Ph-Pheonix," Pheonix managed, her voice cracking sharply. 

Travis either did not notice this, or simply didn't care as he smiled warmly. "Like the immortal fire bird thing? That's pretty cool. Well Pheonix, I'm Travis Stoll. It's a pleasure to have you on my team." He extended a battle worn hand and waited expectantly. 

Though it didn't seem like Travis had any malicious intent, Pheonix still hesitated, wondering if this was one of the infamous pranks that the Hermes cabin was known for. When nothing happened, she took his hand gently and shook it. 

Travis grinned, his curly brown hair falling into those sky blue eyes of his. "Well, now that the introductions are out of the way, let's get this show on the road!"

And as the sound of Pheonix's heartbeat pounded in her chest, she followed Travis into the forest and watched as her plan began to work exactly as she knew it would. 

\-----------------------------

Unsurprisingly, Travis and Katie's team won. Every little step of Pheonix's strategy had worked exactly as it should have, and now the other team's flag was proudly held Katie Gardner as she cheered to her team and flashed a pearly white smile in Pheonix's direction. Pheonix smiled back shyly, but she was more focused on the tall, handsome boy who was making his way over to stand by her.

"Man, we should have had you on our team before. That was seriously awesome," Travis enthused, slinging an arm around Pheonix who tried not to melt into a puddle on the grass. She dipped her head as red blush coated her face.

"Thanks, Travis, but I still don't understand why--" Pheonix suddenly broke up and fell silent. 

Travis raised an eyebrow curiously. "Why what?" 

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it," Pheonix murmured, her voice soft. She'd gone and messed up her chance with the only boy who had ever shown genuine interest in her as a person. SHe'd known this was going to happened from the moment he laid eyes on her...

Travis was not convinced. He leaned closer to Pheonix, lowering his voice. "If there's something bothering you, you can let me know. I'm a head counselor and on top of that I'm the leader, well, one of the leaders of our team. I'm supposed to be there for anyone who needs my help, and it looks like you might need some." 

Pheonix could take it no longer. She'd already messed up her chance of having Travis as a friend, so what was the point in hiding it any longer? "You know I'm in the Hecate cabin, right?" she blurted out. 

The counselor of the Hermes cabin blinked. "Of course. I saw you with Lou Ellen before the game started. What about it?" 

"Well, then why did you listen to me? Why are you even talking to me right now?" Pheonix asked, pain in her throat. She'd never vented to anyone other than the minor god children about these thoughts before, and it felt like acid burning through her body. 

Travis's eyes flashed with surprise. "Oh, you think..." His sky blue orbs turned stormy. "Listen, come with me, Pheonix." 

Pheonix was too mortified to protest. She couldn't believe she had just done that. However, she still followed Travis as he walked out to the beach. He stopped on the shore nearly causing Pheonix to crash into him and sighed as he looked out across the waves. 

"Pheonix... You know who the leader of the demigod rebellion was, right?" 

The daughter of Hecate nodded, her hair flouncing against her shoulders. "Yes, of course. It was Luke Castellan, right?" 

Travis dipped his head, his unruly brown curls falling into his eyes. "Right. Well... he was my brother."

Luke was a child of Hermes too, Pheonix thought, her eyes widening. How could I have forgotten? "Oh, I-I'm so sorry--" 

"Don't be. He was a traitor, and he got what he deserved in the end," Travis growled fiercely before swallowing and allowing his shoulders to slump. His eyes no longer looked angry and instead just looked sad. "What I'm saying is I understand how it feels to be distrusted even if everyone says they trust me. I know that when they look at me or any of my brothers and sisters they see him in us. They just don't have the guts to admit it."

Pheonix stayed quiet for a moment. She had no idea what she was supposed to say to that. There was so much raw anguish in Travis's voice. Thankfully, Travis spoke again before she had to. 

"Let me ask you a question, Pheonix; are you your mom?" 

"W-what? No."

"And would you ever betray this camp?" 

"Never!" Pheonix exclaimed. 

"Then in my honest opinion you don't deserve the hatred you get." 

Pheonix had always believed that. She'd never caused anyone harm before, nor wronged anyone without a reason to. She was a good person, and she wished to be treated as such. Somehow hearing Travis say it made it that much more real to her. She wrapped her arms around Travis, rested her head on his chest, and sucked in a deep breath. 

\------------------------------------------------

The daughter of Hecate and the son of Hermes made an unusual duo, but it was obvious that they were definitely meant to be friends. The two often got up to mischief together along with Travis's younger brother, Connor. The three demigods were an inseparable trio with time and when the camp eventually grew to be more accepting of the minor god children, they stuck to each other like glue.

Though Pheonix liked both Connor and Travis, she couldn't ignore the difference between her feelings for the brothers. When she looked at Connor, she saw a close friend, a best friend even. He was always at her side like a faithful dog, helping her better her battle stance and stealing the Athena kids' homework. 

On the other hand, Pheonix looked at Travis like he was a god. Everything about him was absolutely perfect. His body, his eyes, his smile, his personality... She'd been drawn to Travis ever since the day she'd met him, and her crush was only getting worse and worse as the days went by. When she looked at him, she saw a future, and she would do anything to get that future. 

The daughter of Hecate had a hard time focusing in her classes and battle training because she would be thinking of her dream boy. The crush was beginning to rule her life. She decided that it was no use attempting to ignore it anymore. She was going to confess to him soon. She had to. 

"You thinking about Travis again?" 

Lou Ellen's voice cut through Pheonix's daydream, and she jumped with a start. Whipping around to face her sister who was leaning against the pegasus's stable door, she blushed thoroughly. 

"W-what? No I wasn't!" 

"You totally were."

"Okay, I was..." Pheonix sighed. She could never get away with hiding things from her older sister. She was just too perceptive. 

Lou Ellen's lips curled into a Chershire cat smile. "When are you not? Honestly, Phe, you need to asl him out soon, or I might just die of anticipation. You two would be the cutest ever, and you know he probably likes you right back. Travis is a nice guy." 

Pheonix nodded slowly. "I guess you're right. We have known each other for some time now..." 

"And you've liked ever since you laid eyes on him. Love at first sight exists, Phe, but you have to go in for the kill before someone else does. Look outside; the sun is shining, the grass is green, there's not a cloud in the sky... I'd say that the timing is right." 

"Yeah..." Pheonix said softly before repeating it again with more force. "Yeah! You're right, Lou! I think today would be just perfect. I mean, we are finished with the pegasai for the day, so do you think that Chiron would be angry if I..."

Lou Ellen shook her head, looking almost as excited as Pheonix was feeling. "No way, he'd definitely understand. Even if he does ask about you, I'll cover ya. Besides, I was planning to go take Clovis out to the lake to get that boy some much-needed sunshine anyways. If I see Chiron, I'll just say the smell of the stables was getting to you." 

Pheonix giggled, throwing her arms around Lou Ellen gratefully. "You're the best, Lou. Have fun with Clovis."

The older daughter of Hecate rolled her eyes fondly at the thought of the lazy Hypnos counselor. "I always do. Now you have to promise to let me know all about it at the fire later," she narrowed her eyes and looked around cheekily. "And don't get to frisky. You're still young, you know."

Blush coated Pheonix's face, and she swatted Lou Ellen away in embarrassment. "Oh, shut up!" 

Lou Ellen chuckled, giving Pheonix a gentle nudge. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Just... go get him, tiger." She winked impishly. 

Pheonix nodded confidently, marching out of the stables and into the warm rays of sunlight that shone down from the sky. Lou was right, today was a beautiful day. The sounds of birds chirping as they flew overheard paired with the chattering of demigods who milled about doing their daily activities in the center of camp. The pretty wildflowers in the grass swayed in the slight breeze, and a pretty blue butterfly fluttered past Pheonix's face. 

Today's the day, Pheonix thought dreamily. He'll finally be mine, and I'll be his. She bee-lined towards the Hermes cabin in the distance and allowed an excited smile to curl up her lips. She couldn't believe she was really doing this.

When her sneaker-clad foot finally tapped upon the wooden deck near the entrance of the Hermes cabin, a strange noise brought Pheonix back to earth. The muffled sound of giggles was coming from behind the wooden cabin. This wasn't an unusual occurrence as the Hermes cabin was full of practical jokers, but something about that laughter sounded familiar... and was that Travis's voice?

Curiosity got the best of the daughter of Hecate, and she quietly sneaked to the edge of the cabin, poking her head around the corner. Her eyes widened with surprised horror, and her jaw nearly dropped to the ground. 

Laying in the green grass were none other than Travis Stoll and Katie Gardner. Travis was leaning back against the cabin while Katie perched in his lap; one of his hands was tangled through her hair while the other was rested upon the back of her jean shorts. Their bodies were so close that they were nearly one being, and their lips were locked in a playful kissing match. Smiles danced across their blissful faces and that was the single thought that brought Pheonix's heart plunging to the ground; they were happy together.

Hot tears were beginning to form in the daughter of Hecate's violet eyes, and she darted away from the cabin's edge, sniffling. As she raced away from the Hermes cabin, she saw the front door open at the edge of her vision. A familiar face appeared in the doorway, and he called out, "Pheonix, hey--" but there was no stopping her now. 

Rapidly putting one foot in front of the other, Pheonix ran all the way back to her empty cabin and slammed the door behind her so hard that the obsidian wall shuddered intensely. The heartbroken girl leaned against the wall, shivering like she was standing in the Arctic in the welcome silence of the cabin before the sound of someone knocking tentatively on the door echoed through the quiet interior.

Taking a deep breath to compose herself, Pheonix turned and shakily opened the door to see a very concerned-looking Connor Stoll at her doorstep. He sent her an awkward wave, but she could not return it, choosing to look down at the floor instead. 

"Uh, h-hey, Pheonix. I thought I'd check up on you because you left my cabin pretty quick, and I just wanted to make sure that you were alright..." Connor cleared his through and rubbed his hands together. Though he came off as cocky and arrogant whenever his brother was around, the moment Travis was out of sight, he was reduced to nervous and awkward boy. It was somewhat charming, but it did nothing to sooth Pheonix's aching heart. 

"I'm... fine, thank you, Connor..." Pheonix murmured. She went to close the door and return to her sulking, but Connor caught with his hand and strode forward. 

"No you're not, Pheonix. You know I don't like it when you lie to me..."

Pheonix dipped her head lower in shame, her ebony-colored hair shading her eyes. "I know... I shouldn't have lied to you, Connor. It's just... I'm hurt..."

Connor rested a warm hand on Pheonix's slumping shoulder, causing her to look directly into his soft blue eyes. "What happened?" 

When Pheonix did not answer, Connor closed the door behind him and motioned to Pheonix's bed in the back of the Hecate cabin. Unlike Lou Ellen's crazy psychedelic bedspread, Pheonix's was muted in calming colors. Travis used to joke that is was just one way to see who was really the more sane one in the cabin, but at the moment, Pheonix didn't find it funny. "Come on, let's sit down and talk, okay?" 

The daughter of Hecate nodded, plodding despondently to her bed and sitting down heavily on the edge. Connor took a shaky seat next to her, looking almost shy, but when tears began to spill down Pheonix's cheeks, his expression morphed to one of absolute concern.

The dam had been destroyed, and the entire story from start to beginning flooded out of Pheonix's trembling lips. Her shoulders shuddered, and she sniffled miserably. Not once did Connor break his gaze away from his friend though. He was utterly transfixed.

When the final words dripped from Pheonix's mouth, her cries had escalated into sobs. She rubbed at her eyes, feeling weak for having broken down so easily in front of her former crush's little brother, but she was much too far past stopping now. 

"Why would anyone even love me in the first place?" Pheonix muttered under her breath. "There's nothing that good about me; not enough to draw anyone in. I'm just some girl."

"I don't think you're just some girl, Pheonix. You're very special. There are lots of things that make you different."

"Different, but not attractive," Pheonix spat poisonously. "I'm nothing but a huge joke to everyone." 

"I don't think you're a--"

"Nobody ever takes me seriously. I was just company to Travis, but even though he meant the world to me, he'd never feel the same. I just kept lying to myself over and over to convince myself that he loved me back, but I was so wrong."

"But I--"

Pheonix's voice grew almost inaudible as she allowed her dark self-loathing to take control. "I'm so stupid. I don't know why I ever thought anyone let alone Travis would love me." 

That was the final straw for the Stoll boy. He lunged forward, cupping his friend's cheeks in his palms and pressing his lips to hers. The kiss lasted only for a second, but Pheonix could feel sparks dance across her skin. 

When Connor pulled back, Pheonix was left wanting more. Luckily, she did not have to wait for long as Connor leaned forward again. This time, the kiss was more passionate and desperate. Tongue danced against tongue as Pheonix melted into her friend's embrace. 

This kiss lasted much longer until the two had to break apart for breath. As Pheonix panted softly, Connor, who was completely and utterly red-faced, spoke the words he'd been meaning to say since the day he had first laid eyes on the daughter of Hecate.

"I love you, Phe."

And at that moment, Travis and Katie suddenly no longer mattered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (This story was a request by moonandstxrs on Quotev. Toni is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!)


	12. Sheridan Monroe x Will Solace 'Apples to Apples '

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sheridan has always been a friendly gal, but there is just something about that Will Solace guy that drives her mad. When the two become a duo, will they manage to survive the labyrinth together? 
> 
> (This story was a request by thegalactickiddo on Quotev. Sheridan is her character. If you do not like oc x canon relationships, please find another story to read and do not complain in the comments. And remember, requests are always open!)

'Apples to Apples'

Sheridan Monroe, the daughter of Hermes, was quite the friend to have in Camp Half-Blood. At age fifteen, she was the only camper who somehow managed to get along with nearly every living being in camp. She could win over every satyr, nymph, or demigod alike with her striking good looks and equally as attractive personality. 

With brunette hair that trickled down her shoulders like water over smooth river stones, coffee brown eyes that always glimmered with a hint of mischief, and very prominent dimples, she was an extremely adorable girl. She was very funny with a good sense of humor, laid back, clever, sweet, loyal, fun-loving, and generally easy to get along with. Even the notoriously grumpy camp director, Mr D seemed to tolerate Sheridan's company, and that was saying quiet a lot for the daughter of Hermes. 

Despite having all of this going for her though, there was simply one person who rubbed her the wrong way. Surprisingly enough, it was the Apollo cabin counselor, Will Solace. Sheridan didn't quite understand where the tension came from, but there was just something about that boy that put her off. Maybe it was his fluently spoken sarcasm...? Perhaps it was his bossiness...? Or it was always possible that it was because he was the camp golden boy who could do no wrong with his lazy, surfer dude look and blindingly white smile...

It didn't matter whatever it was; the simple fact was that Sheridan simply could not stand that boy. The strange feeling seemed to be completely mutual though as Will went out of his way on a day-to-day basis just to avoid Sheridan at all costs. At the campfires where Will and his siblings would serenade the demigods surrounding the amphitheater, he would refuse to look in the direction of Sheridan. During Capture the Flag games, she was never chosen to be on his side. Whenever she came into the infirmary due to an injury or illness, he would send one of his siblings to care for her instead, so that he wouldn't have to.

In a way, the aversion the two felt for each other was rather ridiculous. Sheridan wouldn't have it any other way though. She would do whatever it took to make sure that she didn't have to see his stupid, sunshiney face... 

Despite this strange feud between the two demigods, Sheridan chose to look past this small flaw in her camp life. Other than that irritating Solace boy, her life was rather enjoyable. She always had lots of fun wherever she went, and she loved to participate in all of the camp activities that she could. She always looked forward to spending lots of bonding time with her friends, so when Chiron introduced a brand new activity down by the labyrinth entrance, she simply couldn't resist.

\--------------------------------------------------

The sun was shining high in the sky overheard, casting its warmth done in rays onto the clustered up demigods that stood near the entrance to the dreaded labyrinth. Birds chirped gleefully as they swooped through the clouds, and the slightest breeze wafted gently through the camp, sending the fragrant scent of sun-ripened strawberries through the air.

It was an absolutely beautiful day to make things simple. In fact, it would have been the perfect day to get in some training, or perhaps an art piece or craft in the pavilion. However, everyone in camp was gathered to try something a bit more interesting; they were going to be the guinea pigs for the first ever three-legged death race through the labyrinth. 

"The concept is similar to a regular three-legged race only in the manner that two of you will be tied together at the legs," Chiron's deep voice reverberated through the clearing like rolling thunder. He had a way of earning the attention of the camp simply by speaking. It made explaining the rules for this new and dangerous game much more simple. The race, however, has no official starting line or finish line."

At this, the stand in counselor of the Athena cabin stepped forward, pushing a pair of wire-rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose. His stormy gray eyes were conflicted as if he simply couldn't decide if this game sounded sensible or not. "Not trying to be rude, or anything, Chiron, but how is it possible for there to be no official starting line? How is that fair for all the competitors if we all start in different positions. And how will we know we've won if there is no finish line? Is there any point to this at all?"

Chiron dipped his head in acknowledgement. "Ah, thank you for bringing that up, Malcolm. When I said that there was no official starting line or finish line, I meant it. You are going to be going through the labyrinth, so although you will all be entering here at the mouth of the labyrinth, you will all most likely be separated into different starting areas once you arrive inside. That being said, all of you will be going through different routes and could possibly end up in completely different ending points. We have satyr scouts at each exit that were are aware of, so you should all be able to return to camp virtually unharmed..." Chiron paused, tugging at his beard as if he still hadn't really warmed up to the idea yet. "Should..." he repeated softly. 

At this, Malcolm shuddered. He opened his mouth as if to protest again, but the Ares cabin counselor draped his arm around him and slugged the scrawnier boy's shoulder roughly. 

"Come on, Pace, stop being such a baby. This sound like the best fun we've had in months. It could be even better than Capture the Flag!" the Ares boy enthused excitedly. It looked as if he had gotten into a fight with a very large, very angry cat and had lost. He had a ragged eyepatch covering his left eye, a deep scar that ran from his cheek down to his collar bone, and very muscular and battle worn arms. Of course he would be supportive of a new, dangerous game to play.

Malcolm shrugged, looking down at his shoes that were scuffling in the dirt. "It certainly has the potential... if you're into that whole 'I could die' adrenaline thing..." 

Chiron cleared his throat. "If there are no further questions thus far then I'd like to continue." He angled his eyes pointedly at Malcolm who nodded his head and backed away to be swallowed up into the crowd once more. "Right then, so the objective of this game is to be the first team to collect three of the golden apples that have been scattered about the labyrinth. This race has an incredible amount of dangers and deadly traps including, but not limited to exploding chainsaws, Frisbees, and iron orbs that drop from the ceiling. There will also be the potential of meeting up with monsters that have also gotten lost in the depths of the labyrinth. With that being said, I want you all to take great care to stay alive. It would be unfortunate should someone die in the beta testing of Harley's new game." 

The little mastermind behind the three-legged death race, Harley nodded fervently though it seemed as though the idea of people getting injured or possibly dying in his little game did not bother him as much as it should. Though he was only eight years old, there was something unnerving about the way he looked at chainsaws... 

"Alright then, I believe I have covered everything I planned to go over, so without further ado, would the demigods who signed up for this race please step forward," Chiron's eyes searched through the crowd, his horse tail whisking back and forth with anticipation. 

Sheridan hopped forward, her gaze flitting approvingly over all of the brave souls who had been courageous enough to sign up. Most of them were unsurprising such as a few of her half-sisters from the Hermes cabin and the Ares cabin counselor, but there were a few that caught her eye. 

Valentina Diaz from the Aphrodite cabin had put one red jelly sandal-clad foot forward somewhat reluctantly as if she hadn't exactly meant to sign up. However, when the pretty girl saw the head counselor Paolo Montes from the Hebe cabin had also stepped forward, a bright smile overtook her facial features, and she trotted forward with renewed confidence. 

Damien White and Chiara Benvenutti were fighting as per usual, smacking each other upside the head back and forth while Kayla Knowles and Austin Lake looked on in mixed amusement in concern. Meanwhile, Holly Victor and Laurel Victor were shoving each other as they argued over which of them would ultimately collect their apples first.

As Sheridan continued to inspect her competition, her expression soured. None other than Will Solace himself was standing off to the side. At first, Sheridan was sure that he was going to be one of the healers that was going to stay behind as he'd been chatting with the Hypnos cabin and what remained of the Apollo cabin earlier. However, it seemed as if he refused to be left out and had only been briefing the others on what to do should an emergency arise. He snapped his fingers underneath the Hypnos kids' noses one last time and made his way towards the rest of the competitors with a look of pure determination in his sky blue eyes. 

Sheridan hadn't realized she'd been staring as she wasn't usually the type to be rude, but when Will met her eyes, she realized that her eyes had been lingering on him for longer than she had anticipated. Not one to be caught in the act, Sheridan turned her nose up to the sky and huffed disgustedly. That pesky Will Solace wasn't going to spoil her fun; she just wouldn't allow it. 

Chiron, who had seemingly also been examining the participants of the race, tapped his chin thoughtfully. His wise eyes were narrowed as he debated with himself internally, and the deep creases across his old forehead were carved deeply into his skin with concern. "Well then, I suppose I could let you choose your own partners..."

At this simple statement, everyone's eyes brightened. The demigods sent excited glances towards their partners of choice and bounced on their heels, awaiting the signal to get ready. 

Chiron shook his head with great finality. "No, no, I think it would be best for me to pair you up. Less drama that way, I believe." 

The gathered participants deflated with a collective groan of disappointment, but whatever Chiron said was final and there was no changing that. They had to respect their old teacher and though they weren't pleased with his decision, they had the decency to keep their mouths shut. In their heads however, a few ancient Greek curses were muttered. 

"Alright, the first team will be Julia Feingold and Alice Miyazawa..." Chiron stated, waving his hand at the two Hermes half-sisters and then to a station where a collection of ropes was placed. The two girls looked at each other mischievously before nodding and racing over to tie their legs together. 

Sheridan smiled at her two half-sisters warmly, knowing that they would be quite the team to go up against. She couldn't dismiss the sad tugging sensation in her heart though as she realized that none of her sisters would be able to be her partner as well. 

Oh well, Sheridan thought positively, her eyes landing upon her older half-brother, Connor. Connor is still up for grabs and if Chiron put Alice and Julia together, there's a high possibility that he'll put us together too. This is gonna be so cool! 

No sooner had Sheridan thought that, Chiron turned to face Connor, and she felt her heartbeat quicken with anticipation for the moment when he would call her name. However, when Chiron spoke out the name of Connor's partner, Sheridan was disappointed to hear Paolo Montes's name instead of her own. 

Aw... Well that kinda sucks... Sheridan thought sadly, but she shook her head to clear her thoughts. No! I gotta stay positive. Look at all these great people I still have options with. As long as I don't get paired up with... him... everything will turn out just fine! Better than fine even! 

"Kayla Knowles and Austin Lake."

Another sibling team. Strange that Chiron didn't put me and Connor together then, but it doesn't matter. I'm sure he and Paolo will be a great team and so will Austin and his sister. 

"Chiara Benvenuti and Damien White." 

Two completely horrified gasps erupted from the daughter of Tyche and the son of Nemesis, and their widened eyes locked burning glares of hatred on each other. Sheridan couldn't suppress a giggle. 

This will be interesting. Those two can't go a minute without fighting with each other. Maybe the maze will bring them closer together? One can only hope. They'd be quite the different couple, but that's not necessarily a bad thing now is it? 

"Billie Ng and Valentina Diaz."

That pairing wasn't too surprising as Valentina and Billie were both pretty friendly people who got along with the majority of camp. With Billie's knowledge of plant life and Valentina's ability to sense auras and the like, the two would have a very interesting dynamic in the labyrinth. Unfortunately, none of those powers sounded as if they would be much help during a three-legged race. At least they would be the most fashionable team. 

Sheridan was beginning to feel nervous. The only girls that were left aside from herself were Holly and Laurel Victor of the Nike cabin. The twins were always squabbling and though they were competitive, they were almost too competitive. They fought and argued with everyone, and Sheridan wasn't exactly enjoying the idea of butting heads throughout the labyrinth. Still, if one of them turned out to be her partner, she could grin and bear it. 

Along with the girls, the only other remaining competitors were Malcolm and Sherman. Though Sheridan wasn't particularly fond of either of them, Malcolm was highly intelligent and kind and Sherman had incredible physical abilities. Either one of them would give her a sure advantage against the other teams, and Sheridan sincerely hoped that she would be lucky enough to be paired with one of those boys and not... 

"Malcolm Pace and Sherman Yang."

A few cries of indignant outrage erupted from the teams as they claimed that the pairing of Ares and Athena would be far too strong together, but they were quickly silenced when Chiron flicked his tail and stomped his hoof on the dusty earth. It was final and there was nothing they could do about it. However, Sheridan felt a growing sense of disappointment and anxiety roiling in her stomach. 

"Holly Victor and Laurel Victor." 

Sheridan blinked in surprise. Pairing those two together was taking a huge risk, but that wasn't what she was concerned about. If the Nike twins, the brains, and the brawn were all paired up, who did that leave her with? Had Chiron changed his mind about allowing the daughter of Hermes participate? 

"That leaves Will Solace and Sheridan Monroe." 

Before she even had time to process the words entirely, Sheridan's coffee brown eyes widened, and her mouth dropped open with a gasp. "What?! No way! Is there anyone who's willing to trade?!" The words left her mouth in a flood of mixed anger and nervousness. Unfortunately for her though, the other teams were already tying their legs together with a finality that could not be wavered. 

Will made his way over to Sheridan with stormy eyes and a sour frown. He looked as equally upset as Sheridan felt about this decision, but he had the decency to keep his inner thoughts to himself. There was him being the bigger person again. That only fueled the furious, burning fire in Sheridan's chest. Who was he to think he was too good to complain? What an absolute jerk. 

The wavy-haired blond stooped down on his knee after sidling up to Sheridan with a dark rope in his hands. He tied their legs together securely, but he didn't ask Sheridan once if she was comfortable, nor did he even glance up in her direction. He looked at his own shoe like it was the most fascinating thing in the world at this point in time.

"I'm not happy about this either Pick Pocket, but you don't see me being this big of a baby about it," Will muttered, tugging on the rope one last time and rising up slowly to his full height. He was a few inches, perhaps even a foot taller than Sheridan which only made things all the more awkward. 

"Who're you calling 'Pick Pocket,' Sunshine Boy? Last time I checked, I was allowed to express my feelings freely. You can't stop me from doing that." 

"You're right, I can't. I can only imagine the headache you're gonna give me," Will groaned. "Enough arguing; let's just get this over with." He began awkwardly shuffling forward with Sheridan stumbling along with his long strides uneasily. 

With their height difference, Sheridan felt as if she was getting dragged along with Will which did not sit well with her. How could this possibly get anymore irritating than it already was? They hadn't even entered the labyrinth yet. "The sooner the better," Sheridan growled through gritted teeth. 

\--------------------------------------------------

The race had begun, and the labyrinth was already beginning to turn circles in Sheridan's mind. Every nook, cranny, and rock in the wall looked familiar as if they were simply walking back and forth in a long hallway, and Sheridan had the sinking feeling that she and Will hadn't been making any progress at all. 

"Don't tell me we're lost, Will. We just passed that violet on the floor five minutes ago, and I swear if we're going in circles, you can consider yourself as useless as a broken compass," Sheridan spat, the words feeling like venom dripping off of her lips. 

Will rolled his eyes in annoyance, purposely taking a huge step to make Sheridan stumble. "Right, because you're being so helpful right now. Last I checked, all you've done so far is nag at me." 

"That's because you won't give me the chance to lead! If it were up to me, we'd e out of this maze in no time with apples to spare!" Sheridan exclaimed. She would have stomped her foot if it weren't tied to Will's right leg. 

Will turned a burning, blue glare to Sheridan. "Oh, I'd love to see this. Fine then almighty Pick Pocket, lead the way and let's see how far we can go before you run us into a wall." 

"Why you-- Fine! I will lead!" 

With that, Sheridan pulled forward, dragging Will for once as she stalked her way towards a nearby tunnel up ahead. It didn't look promising, but it was currently the only path in sight, and she would take anything she could get. Anything to prove that she was better than golden boy, Will Solace. 

The further Sheridan tugged Will along, the more unnerved she began to feel. There was a dark, foreboding presence in the tunnel that made the air cold and damp. Each limping footstep the duo took echoed through the tunnel and caused vibrations to shiver through the marble floor. Sheridan also could not deny that the natural light was dimming, and it was getting harder and harder to see where she was going...

"So, you ready to admit that you should let me lead?" Will questioned, his voice causing Sheridan to jump (well, jump as far as much as she could while tied to Will.) 

Sheridan flipped her hair and huffed. "And why would I do that? I've got this under control, and you know it." 

A snort erupted from Will. "Yet you can't see your own hand in front of your face. Wouldn't it be easier if, I dunno, there was some kind of light to lead the way?" 

That's when Sheridan remembered that Will was indeed the son of Apollo. No doubt he had some sort of powers connected to light in some way. As hard as it was to admit, Will actually had a point this time. There was no point in blindly pushing forward without any idea of what laid ahead. 

"Well, what are you waiting for, Sunshine? You're the one with the inner nightlight. Instead of being such a lump on the log, you could have been doing something to be useful,' Sheridan growled, her voice rumbling in her throat. 

Will shrugged, completely unbothered. "You never asked." With that, the head counselor snapped his fingers once, twice, three times until an orb of light fizzled at his fingertips. It illuminated the tunnel almost entirely, but it also brought forth a terrifying revelation; Will and Sheridan were being followed. 

Out of the shadows leaped a large manticore with gleaming teeth and sharp claws. It had a rope tied around its neck where a shiny, golden apple swung. Its eyes were the same golden color, narrowed in absolute malice. 

"Duck!" Will cried, dropping his body to the ground and dragging Sheridan with him. The manticore landed behind them, its claws skittering on the marble floor as it roared furiously. Its leathery wings beat back and forth, and Sheridan felt a huge relief that the ceiling was far too low for it to truly take off. "We're gonna have to kill this thing before it kills us!" Will cried hoarsely, his shaking hand fumbling for the dagger that was buckled to his side. 

Sheridan knew that the measly little piece of celestial bronze would be no match for the huge manticore, and she was immensely relieved to feel her sword strapped to her side. She tugged it loose and was dragged off to the side as the manticore leaped again, this time straight towards her. 

"Hey! Next time you're gonna rip my leg off, give me a warning!" Sheridan shouted at Will, brandishing her sword at the manticore's salivating maw. 

Will caught sight of the sword, shifting around and pulling Sheridan to a better angle to attack the huge beast. "Oh, I'm sorry! Maybe next time I'll just let the monster rip off your leg for me. How does that sound?" 

"A little less sarcasm would be nice right about now!" Sheridan responded. "Now jump!" 

Will, though clearly irritated, followed Sheridan's command just as the manticore leaped forward again. Sheridan slammed her sword down as they landed on the manticore's back and cracked its skull nearly in two. It let out a shriek of pain, bucking the two demigods off of it and launching them into the air. 

The daughter of Hermes brought her sword down once more in mid air, this time slicing the back of its neck and sending a cloud of golden dust through the air. As the manticore began to slow down, its chest heaving for every labored breath, it seemed to still have some fight left to it. It raised one of its colossal paws and smacked Will squarely on his side, sending them careening to the floor. Will's body landed on top of Sheridan's, twisting her ankle awkwardly beneath her. She let out a scream of pain while Will gasped for breath. 

The manticore let out one last ferocious roar and dissolved into a pile of golden dust with the apple sitting perfectly atop it. Ignoring the pain in her ankle, she gave Will a shove as his breathing finally settled, and the son of Apollo stretched his arm out to fetch the apple. When he had obtained it, the two stood up in unison and did the unthinkable.

Will and Sheridan's arms wrapped around each other, pulling one another into a tight embrace. Smiles lit up their faces, glimmering in the light of Will's glowing orb. "We did it!" they cried excitedly... before realizing who exactly they were holding and breaking away awkwardly, mumbling to themselves and blushing. 

"Well, that's one. Just two more to go..." Will stated, clearing his throat and beginning to walk towards the exit of the tunnel quickly. Sheridan tried to keep up, but winced sharply as a pain similar to daggers shot through her ankle. She stumbled, nearly bringing Will to the ground. The boy turned around in irritation, but when he saw the pain on his partner's face, his expression quickly morphed to one of concern. 

Sheridan stumbled again and nearly hit the floor before Will caught her in an awkward position. They shuffled over to a nearby corner where Will carefully lowered the two of them to the floor. Once they were seated, Will maneuvered their legs until he could successfully untie the rope that kept them together. This did not sit well with Sheridan.

"Hey! What are you doing?! We need to be tied together to win the race! This is sabotage!" The daughter of Hermes weakly attempted to bat Will away, but he was not about to be deterred. Once he had his mind set on something, there was no changing it. 

"Your injury is more important than the dumb race, Pick Pocket," Will muttered, undoing the last knot and tossing the rope to the floor beside him. He took in Sheridan's furious expression calmly and held up his arms. "Can you stand, or do you need some help?" 

Sheridan let out a huff of annoyance, standing up stubbornly although her ankle was sending sharp jabs of agony through her leg. She refused to show her pain, gritting her teeth and attempting to take a step forward. When she nearly tumbled to the floor again, Will pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in exhaustion. 

"Great... Just... lean on me, and we'll walk a little further to find somewhere to fix you up. We shouldn't stick around where we jut defeated a monster, especially when you can't fight right now. There could be more of them lurking somewhere." Will held out one of his arms, ushering for Sheridan to fall in line with him, but she hesitated still. 

Was this really worth it? Did she really need to rely on Will for just a little ankle injury? Was winning this game even worth it anymore?

Summoning what was left of her dwindling dignity, Sheridan gave in, leaning against Will with her cheek on his shoulder. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to pretend this was all some sort of a nightmare as the two of them limped further into the labyrinth's twisting tunnels. 

Eventually, a much brighter section of the tunnels appeared in the horizon, and Sheridan could sense no evil presence hidden up ahead. It seemed Will had the same thought process as he slowed down and looked to Sheridan.

"I think this is far enough. Let's sit you down..." 

Sheridan sucked in a sharp breath as her ankle bent awkwardly, but she managed to keep her tears at bay, sitting on the dusty, cold ground. Will knelt down, his gentle hands reaching out to examine the injury. He carefully brushed his fingers around the skin, feeling for swelling and inspecting every last detail before reaching into the pack hooked to his belt loop and fishing out a wrap of gauze, medical tape, and a sweater from the inside. 

The daughter of Hermes grimaced as Will lifted her ankle and placed it on top of his sweater to elevate it. It took all she had to refrain from cursing at him and whacking him upside the head.

The blond boy ripped off a section of the gauze, placing on her ankle for support padding before wrapping even more gauze around it and taping it securely. He adjusted the padding carefully, gauging Sheridan's expression for pain. He found none as the support gave immense relief to the pain, but even so Sheridan felt somewhat uncomfortable. There was something on her mind, and she had to say it.

"Why are you helping me?" 

Will looked back down to her ankle, feeling over it one last time to make sure it was all set. "You're my partner."

"So?" Sheridan frowned. "You could have just let me back there and made it out of the labyrinth with the apple alone. It's not like me and you are friends. In fact, I'm convinced you hate me."

Will's pretty blue eyes widened with surprise, and he allowed his shocked expression to be seen by Sheridan as he looked up. "Is that what you really think; that I hate you?" 

Sheridan scoffed. "Well, yeah!"

"Sheridan, I... I thought you hated me."

That was something Sheridan had never considered. Was it possible that throughout all of the feuding, it was really her who had been sending the bad vibes? She'd never looked at it from Will's point of view before... "Well... I don't."

It was as if a huge weight had been lifted from Will as his shoulders relaxed and a grateful smile curled up his lips. "And neither do I." He loomed forward and tied their legs back together, being careful not to jostle Sheridan's ankle too much when he placed his sweater back in his bag. "Gods, that's a relief. All of the arguing was giving me a headache."

Sheridan let out a dramatic sigh, attempting to conceal a smile that was beginning to form. "Don't be an idiot. Let's get going." 

And the demigodly duo limped forward with a newfound purpose. They were going to win, and they were going to do it together.

\--------------------------------------------------

Though the confusion had been cleared up, Sheridan still felt awkward and guilty when walking with Will. Will attempted to start conversations a few times, but gave up when Sheridan stayed silent. The two continued into the labyrinth for a long while without any sort of trouble before finally hearing the telltale sound of company in one of the tunnels up ahead. 

"Ugh, gods! And look what you did to my map! Now we really are lost!" 

Will turned a curious gaze to Sheridan, one eyebrow raised. "That sounds like Damien," he whispered, slowing down his pace to eavesdrop further.

"Then that should mean Chiara is with him," Sheridan responded, listening closely.

"I already told you the labyrinth changes all the time! That map was absolutely useless! Besides, if I would have known that Harley's Frisbee was going to hit me in the stomach and make me throw up, I would have made sure to have done it all over your face, idiota!"

"Oh, go eat some pasta, you Italian annoyance!" 

A cheeky grin erupted across Will's face. "Yep, that's definitely Damien and Chiara." 

Sheridan attempted to conceal her giggles as they began to make their way past where the arguing was coming from. The glimmering of something golden caught Sheridan's eyes however and she put her feet down heavily to stop Will in his tracks.

"What? Is something wrong?" the blonde boy asked, somewhat worried. His eyes darted around as if in search of some hidden threat. "Is the manticore back?" 

Sheridan shook her head quickly, ushering to the tunnel where it seemed the argument had escalated. Chiara was shouting out what must have been some Italian curse words while Damien was yelling 'la la la, I can't hear you' over her like a small child. "They have an apple, Will. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?" 

Will paused before smiling deviously. "Do your thing, Pick Pocket." 

Sheridan needed no further pushing. She crouched down, motioning for Will to do the same. When he obeyed, the two carefully crept down into the tunnel. Apart from the glowing of the apple and the very faint outlines of Damien and Chiara, it was nearly pitch black; the perfect place for thievery to take place. 

"Sei così inutile. Tutto quello che fai è lamentarsi e aggiustarsi i capelli. Dio, ti odio!" Chiara snarled, taking a shove at Damien who stumbled. The did not sit well with the son of Nemesis who lunged forward and tackled Chiara to the ground in a cursing frenzy. The two grunted and snarled, flailing their fists in the darkness in an attempt to hit the other person. They were struggling so intensely that there was a dull thudding noise followed by a glowing, golden orb rolling across the floor towards Sheridan. They'd dropped their apple. 

Sheridan snatched the apple quickly, giving Will an excited grin as he held up their other apple to make two. They stood up quickly, ready to continue on their quest for their third apple when suddenly the fighting ceased. 

"Wait, wait," Chiara panted, feeling about in the darkness frantically. "Where did our apple go?"

Damien paused, and the sound of rustling echoed through the tunnel. "Why am I looking? You're the one that was holding onto it!"

"Well, I don't have it anymore!" Chiara snapped. "We have to find it soon, or we're royally screwed."

There was the sound of snapping next to Sheridan, and a sudden burst of light filled the tunnel. The light was coming from Will's fingertips, illuminating his boastful smirk. "Finders keepers," he stated casually with a shrug. 

Damien and Chiara's gazes flitted back and forth between the apple in his hand and the apple in Sheridan's before the realization struck them. "Hey!" they cried out in unison, taking up chase immediately. 

"Let's get out of here!" Will cried out, and the duo began to sprint down the tunnel as fast as they could. They could feel the panting breaths of Damien and Chiara on their heels, but they wouldn't be caught. They couldn't be. They needed to win more than those two did, and neither of them were willing to give up all too easily.

Luckily, a hole opened beneath Sheridan and Will's feet just as Damien's hands reached out for them, and they dropped down one level without a scratch. The hole closed up overhead, and a mixture of Italian curses, Greek swears, and a blaming session erupted overhead. 

They had escaped. 

"I can't believe we just did that!" Sheridan enthused. "That was so awesome!" 

Will nodded excitedly, snatching the apple from his partner and juggling the two orbs between his hands. "I know right? Just think, if they wouldn't have been arguing, we couldn't have gotten away with it." He sent a cheeky smile at Sheridan. "I mean, what kind of idiots would argue with the partner in the labyrinth?" 

Sheridan felt blush coat her cheeks at the subtle jab towards the two of them before they had made amends. She giggled, twirling her hair around her finger sheepishly. "Yeah... idiots..."

\--------------------------------------------------

The time seemed to go by faster in the labyrinth the more Sheridan and Will laughed together. To make things more interesting as they explored the dark and twisting tunnels of the labyrinth, they had started to tell stories to each other; stories about their childhood, their friends and family, and their life before Camp Half-Blood had taken them in. With all the mischievous stories that Will had to tell, it was plain to see that the camp golden boy had a bit of an impish side to him. And Sheridan? Well, Sheridan wasn't flawless either. 

"You really stole Mr D's underwear?! Were you the one that put them on the flag pole too?" Will asked, his eyes nearly bugging out of his skull. 

Sheridan shook her head, tittering gleefully. "Oh, no. I had Connor, Travis, and Lou Ellen help me with that part. I can't take complete credit to their 'genius' ideas." 

With that, the two buckled over in laughter. Lou Ellen, Connor, and Travis were notorious for having the dumbest ideas in camp. That factor alone was what made the situation so hilarious. 

"Oh, man, that is just too good!" Will laughed, happy tears forming at the corners of his eyes. His wavy blond hair fell into his face, and he laughed even more. 

At this point in time, Sheridan found that she had a strange feeling in her chest. It was reminiscent to a bunch of butterflies trying to escape a net. She looked desperately to find the source of this feeling and found that her hand was interlaced with Will's. Red hot blush seeped across Sheridan's cheeks, but she refused to let go. The feeling was welcome and almost... nice. She could stay like this for awhile. Unfortunately, fate had other ideas.

"Ssssstay back!" 

A sharp, fierce voice that sounded like gravel in a blender broke through her train of thought and stopped the two demigods in their tracks. Up ahead, a Scythian Dracaena was coiled around a shimmering, golden object. Her forked tongue flickered in and out of her mouth where two razor-sharp fangs glinted in the darkness. She looked anything, but friendly, and the grip she had around the object in her coils was impressive. 

"Will," Sheridan started, turning to face Will urgently. "She has an apple. We have to get it from her."

"You will do no sssssuch thing, puny demigodssssss! Thissssss issss my ssssshiny, and you'll have to defeat me firssssst if you want it," the Dracaena hissed threateningly. 

Will rolled his eyes with a sigh, cupping a hand around his mouth to whisper to his partner. "If she says one more 's' word, I think I'm gonna throw up." 

Sheridan nodded feverishly in agreement and followed Will's slow and steady footsteps forward. 

"Listen, lady, if you just give us the 'shiny,' we'll leave you alone and you can go back to whatever snake ladies do. It'll be saving us a lot of time and you a lot of pain," Will tried to sound reasonable and calm, but his hand was rested on his dagger to indicate that he was not afraid to fight. Sheridan got the hint, sliding the other two apples into his pouch and reaching for her sword. 

"Never!" The Dracaena spat, lunging forward with surprising speed. 

Without so much as a word, Will and Sheridan moved as one to the side, just out of harm's way. They each struck out with their weapons; Will nicked the lady's face while Sheridan managed to draw a gash down her chest. 

A terrible, angry shriek erupted from the serpent, and her tail whipped on the tunnel floor. She lunged again, this time going straight for Sheridan. Will barreled his partner to the floor, standing awkwardly over her (well, standing up as far as he could while tied to Sheridan) and wielded his dagger bravely. 

Suddenly, Sheridan noticed something. The way the Dracaena's eyes sparkled as she looked at Will's glittering dagger. She drew her forked tongue over her lips as if she were hungry before lunging again, her arms stretched out for the dagger. 

"Will, throw your dagger! She wants it because it's shiny!" Sheridan screamed, crawling away as fast as she could and dragging Will behind her. The serpent lady was nearly atop them when Will took Sheridan's advice and chucked the dagger to the far corner of the room. Immediately, the Dracaena made a beeline towards it, and Sheridan rose to her feet. 

"Jump now!"

The demigods jumped in unison, landing atop the Dracaena's back. She let out an indignant cry and thrashed about, bucking like a wild bronco. 

"Hold on tight!" Sheridan shouted, locking her arm around the serpent's neck for dear life. Will wrapped his leg around her waist, causing Sheridan to do the same with her connected leg. She stretched forward with her sword and drew it swiftly across the monster's neck. Golden dust splatted out from the gaping wound, and the Dracaena gasped and gulped for breath. Soon, she crumbled into a cloud of dust and left Sheridan and Will on the ground, coughing. 

Sheridan instinctively looked to Will, making sure that he was okay. When he nodded reassuringly, he gave her a questioning look. She responded with a nod to say that she was also unhurt, but then she looked around worriedly. 

Where was it?

"Will, where's the apple?!" Sheridan asked, her voice tight with worry. They had not just risked their lives for nothing, had they?

"Relax, Pick Pocket. I've got it."

Sheridan's head whipped around, and a bright smile broke out across her face at the sight of the apple in Will's raised hand. He slipped it into his now nearly full pouch on his side and gave Sheridan two thumbs up. 

The two sat, catching their breaths for a moment and simply reveling in their victory against their second monster of the day. Suddenly though, Will perked up and grabbed Sheridan by her shoulders.

"Wait, Sheridan! This is our third apple! Do you know what that means?" 

The daughter of Hermes shrugged, blushing at Will's touch. "That we have one more apple that we did last time." 

"It means we're done!" Will cried. "We can leave the labyrinth. We can win this!"

This worked Sheridan into a frenzy. She had been so worried about Will's well-being that she had forgotten that they had already obtained two apples. They could finally exit the labyrinth and claim their victory as the winners of the first ever three-legged death race. 

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's get out of here!" 

The two rose to their feet excitedly and began running through the labyrinth. Sheridan noted that they were not just awkwardly waddling, but actually running now. They were so used to being attached at the hip (literally) that it was almost like they were one person. They had become the true dream team. 

Eventually, a light began to grow more apparent in the far off distance and though the duo was very tired from their battle, they kept putting one foot in front of the other until they finally emerged into the light of day in the exact same spot that they had entered the labyrinth in the first place. They held up their hands and cheered victoriously. 

"We won!" Sheridan announced joyfully. "I knew we would!"

To the side of the labyrinth's entrance, Chiron cleared his throat somewhat apologetically. "Er... no exactly. I'm afraid that Laurel and Holly emerged just a few minutes before you did..." He motioned towards the group of healers where Holly and Laurel were arguing as per usual. Apparently, they were debating whose foot had touched outside first. They completely ignored the Hypnos cabin's head counselor, Clovis who was trying with no avail to explain that since their legs had been tied together, both of their feet had touched outside first. The Victor twins just wouldn't hear it. 

Laurel took one of her apples and beaned it at Holly's face, narrowly missing Clovis who ducked out of the way with a yelp just in time. Holly lunged forward and grabbed a fistful of Laurel's hair. The twins fell to the ground in a screaming tangle of limbs. Meanwhile, Clovis backed up with his hands raised. The situation had spiraled far out of his control, and it was clear that the message he was giving off was 'this is not my area of expertise.' Unfortunately, he fell to the ground fast asleep and was dragged into the tussle as well. 

Chiron let out a long suffering sigh, abandoning Sheridan and Will to go separate the three fighting demigods. His horsey tail whisked back and forth irritably as he attempted to pull a very disoriented, confused, and now very much awake Clovis away from the twins who weren't yet giving up on knocking each other's teeth loose. 

Will turned to Sheridan whose expression was sad and disheartened. This did not sit well with him. He cupped his partner's chin and lifted her head slightly so that she was looking at him in the eyes. She seemed very much surprised, but didn't break the contact. 

"Hey Pick Pocket," Will started with a flirty and playful tinge to his voice. "why don't you come down to my cabin sometime so we can practice for the next three-legged death race. That way, we can show those Nike kids what they're underestimating and what they'll be up against in round two." 

Sheridan smiled shyly. Something about the way the words left Will's mouth made it seem like it was an invitation to a date, and that was something Sheridan had been thinking about ever since this dumb blond boy had fixed up her ankle. 

With the sun shining brightly in the sky overhead, filling Sheridan with warmth from head to toe, the daughter of Hermes could not think of anything she'd rather do. "I think that sounds like a great idea Sunshine Boy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY CAUGHT UP WITH REQUESTS KJASHF:laghwwJK

**Author's Note:**

> I love this story so much because it's my boys... Clovis and Nico are my OTP to be honest. Also, dedicated to Mortal-Apollo on Tumblr because she was the one that showed me that I wasn't the only one that shipped them. Because of her, I was exposed to a lot of content of these two <3


End file.
